Thin Crust Pizza

Today let's talk thin crust pizza.

If you don't love it, we can't be friends.  We just can't.

Though I am a huge sucker for a really good quality piece of a Sicilian pizza, thin crust will always be my tummy's favorite.  Always.

I am really not a huge fan of pan pizzas.  Especially chain pizza place ones.  Yuck.  They're just so tough.  And don't even get me started on stuffed crust pizzas.  Double yuck.

But anyway, thin crust pizza calls to my heart... or... stomach actually.

Until very recently, I had not branched out in my pizza crust recipe.  Growing up, we had homemade pizzas once every week or two.  Usually on Friday family movie nights.  And my mom's crust recipe is great.  And I grew up with it.  Why fix something that's not broken, right?!

But then Pinterest comes along and entices me with beautiful photos promising the loveliest crust of all time.  So I've recently tried some new recipes.  All of which are good.  Not many that wow me.  But here is one of the few that did.

Thin. Crust. Pizza.  Genuine, paper-thin, crispy, "Imo's"-like pizza crust.  Oh yummy!  There are just a few things that I miss about St. Louis, and Imo's Pizza is one of them.  So many nights in college, watching out the window of Thomas' dorm room while he walked across the street in the cold/snow to pick up our extra large, thin crust, pepperoni and green olive pizza.  Salivating...

This pizza may not taste just like Imo's because apparently nobody knows what provel cheese is once you cross out of the St. Louis area, but it's pretty darn close.

And the one thing (besides the super thin crust) that sends this pizza over the top: the Italian seasoning.  Just shake some on top of everything right before you stick the pizza in the oven and wow, it completely takes the pizza to the next level.  DO NOT forget that step!

Oh!  And the other other thing that makes this pizza totally awesome: the dough doesn't need to rise, so you can make these from start to finish in about 30 minutes!  It's definitely worth a try for that fact alone!

Now without further ado:

Thin Crust Pizza
Adapted from: Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Makes: two 12 inch pizzas
Feeds: 2-4 people (The thin crust makes these pizzas seem not quite as filling as traditional crusts.)

Ingredients:
Scant 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola/vegetable/olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup pizza sauce
+/-3 cups cheese (traditionally mozzarella, but feel free to branch out)
You choice of toppings
Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray two pizza pans with cooking spray.  (You can use cookie sheets, but I highly suggest pizza pans to make the crust crunchier.)
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and give them a quick toss.
3. Add the oil and water, mix until a shaggy dough forms.  You will have to get in there with your hands and press the dough together.  Add a tiny bit more water if the dough won't hold together.
4. Separate the dough into two portions, and form them into small disks.  The rounder the disks are, the better-shaped your pizzas will be.  Wrap each disk in saran wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Spray a piece of wax paper with cooking spray.  Unwrap a disk of dough and lay it on the wax paper.  Then cover with another sheet of sprayed wax paper.  (I just use one big long piece and fold it in half.)  Roll into a 12 inch, very flat crust. (This will take a lot of arm strength.  Just keep rolling.)
6. Place the dough on your sprayed pizza pan, cover with approximately 1/2 cup pizza sauce, your choice of toppings, and cheese.
7. Sprinkle the top of the pizza with Italian seasoning.
8. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown.  Once it's out of the oven, i
   f you're using a traditional baking sheet, I suggest sliding the pizza onto a wire rack to cool.  This helps it stay crunchy instead of turning soggy.
9. Repeat for second disk of dough.
10. Enjoy!

Oh!  I love this pizza!  I hope you do too!