Supper for Super Bowl

This started out as a way to kill time before and during the Super Bowl. I could hang out in the kitchen, and slice and dice and shred cheese while my husband and his friends watched the big game. Then an unexpected thing happened. Our sons got older, and started to play football, so I was motivated to learn more about the game. Watching our Orcas Vikings, I actually became a football fan.

It wasn’t a chore, after that, to start watching the Seahawks, and other pro teams, along with the guys. When Super Bowl came, I wanted to watch the game. By that time, however, I had established a ritual. The dinner had become one of the highlights of the day. The logical answer was to make the pizza a couple of hours before game time, then pop it in the oven at half-time and eat during the third quarter.

A good crust is the foundation of any pizza. A home oven was never designed to bake pizza. It just can’t get hot enough. There are plenty of good refrigerated pizza crusts, and even boxed mixes, that work very well. I even used biscuit mix once, when I was out of yeast. But a good, basic yeast dough is still the best way to go. If you have a bread machine with a pizza setting, use it. Just follow their directions.

Super Bowl Pizza    A once-a-year treat
Makes one 14” medium crust pizza

1 packet active dry yeast, quick rising
1 cup warm water (105° to 115° F)
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
2½ to 3½ cups all purpose flour

OR 
1 - 12” to 14” ready made pizza crust

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, olive oil and 2½ cups flour. Mix well. Turn onto floured board. Knead, adding remaining flour until dough feels elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down. Let rest about 10 minutes. Brush pizza pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough across bottom of pan, forming a collar around edge to hold toppings. Toppings:1 - 14 oz. can pizza sauce
1½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ lb. pepperoni
¼ lb. salami
¼ lb. Canadian bacon
½ lb. Italian sausage, hot or mild
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced bell pepper
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
1 - 3oz. can sliced olives

Brown sausage and drain well. Sauté onion and pepper in a little olive oil until soft. Spread sauce across crust. Layer all topping ingredients, finishing with cheese on top. This can be done a couple of hours ahead. (Your crust may continue to rise if it’s made ahead and not refrigerated.)

Bake at 450° for 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.