PIZZA - Maynard's Pizza

Maynard Pittendreigh

Maynard worked in restaurant management while finishing college in the mid-1970's, and what better place to work than at a Pizza Hut. To fix a pizza in the style of Pizza Hut, follow this recipe. The recipe for the crust is the same as that used at Pizza Hut during those years, although it has been proportionally reduced so that instead of using 25 pounds of flour, you only need a little more than 2 cups. The sauce is a guess, since the recipe called for tomatoe puree and a "spice bag." Since the ingredients were listed on the bag, the amounts had to be guessed at. Maynard usually uses Ragu Pizza Sauce, but still uses the crust recipe.

Crust Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water (115 degrees)

2 1/4 cups flour (bread flour recommended)

1 1/4 teaspoons yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspooons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil

Sauce Ingredients

1 15 ounce can of tomatoe puree

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Prepare the crust by mixing yeast, sugar, flour, and salt. Add the oil and water. Mix, knead, cover and allow to rise overnight.

2. Take the dough and with a rolling pin, flatten as much as possible (1/8 of an inch is great). Place dough onto slightly greased pan. Place pan in oven and turn on oven light and allow the dough to rise again for an hour.

3. Mix sauce ingredients and add to dough. Use just enough so that by pouring sauce into the middle of the dough on the pan you can spread the sauce by turning and tilting the pan. If you have to "paint" the sauce on, it will be too thin. If it is too easy to cover the last of the dough by tilting and turning, you will probably have too much sauce.

4. Put the pizza back into the oven, with only sauce as a topping. Turn on the oven to 450 degrees. Pizza Hut doesn't do this, but their ovens are different. Pizza cooks best from high heat coming up from the crust, which is why many pizzarias put the pie straight into an oven without a pan. Since home ovens are different you will have to partially cook your crust for that "thin and crispy" Pizza Hut flavor. Let the crust cook until just before it begins to brown. It should no longer be "stuck" to the pan, but should freely move as you shake the pan back and forth.

5. Add cheese. Most people add too much. You want to see about as much sauce as cheese. Don't completely cover the sauce, or it will be rather leathery. Add any other toppings you desire (although some toppings will need to be cooked on the stove top, since the cooking time for this recipe is so short). Cook for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.