If it's Friday - It Must Be Pizza Night

We are in the nicest rut on Friday's. We have pizza. I make the dough and Mr Soup does the rest. Some times it is a simple red sauce and cheese pizza. Sometimes it is fancy - like an onion rosemary pizza. The great thing is - it can be whatever we're in the mood for and STILL be pizza.

Barefoot Contessa Pizza Dough

1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Mrs Soup's Variation: I let the dough rise for about an hour. I punch it down and divide it into two to make two “pan pizzas”. This dough freezes really well – just take it out the morning you plan to use it and let it hang out all day.

To cook: preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Roll dough out and put it on your pan. Top with whatever makes you happy. 10-12 minutes – until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted.

Mr Soup's Variation: When it comes time to bake, he does it in two steps to make sure the final crust is extra crispy. He rolls it out and puts it on the pan, drizzles with a little olive oil and prebakes for about 5 minutes. He then does his toppings and pops back in the oven for 7-10 minutes.

Mario Batali’s Basic Tomato Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4 inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Yield: 4 cups