You know what day it is! It’s Friday pizza night in our house. We have had this tradition for years now and my kids are not happy if we have to skip a Friday pizza night for any reason. They love it! I’ve posted a few blog posts before about my favorite pizza ingredients, how to make the easiest homemade pizza crust, and different variations of pizzas that we like to make. Today I’m sharing one of my favorites – Veggie Pizza. I cook all of the veggies ahead and store them in the fridge until pizza night. I’m often surprised at what my kids will choose to put on their pizza if it’s their choice. They love making homemade pizza and having control. Isn’t that what all preschoolers want – control?! LOL. Mine do! I’ve learned the best thing I can do when it comes to kids and food is set out the food and keep my mouth shut. The more I intervene, the more dinner time battles there are. This is definitely true with Veggie Pizza too! I help them roll out their crust, then they put sauce on, they choose the veggies from the bowls I have sitting out, they put the cheese on, and I don’t intervene. Sometimes when they get down from their cooking towers, I will spread the cheese a little more evenly, but other than that, I don’t try to sneak anything in. If I don’t want them to eat something, I don’t make it an option! I hope you enjoy this delicious Veggie Pizza as much as I do!
Veggie Pizza
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup very warm water (108–110 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 package active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
4 cups flour
pinch of salt
Olive oil
Pizza Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 8 oz container sliced baby Bella mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 package or bunch broccolini
1 small yellow onion, diced
Olive oil
Instructions
Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and add the yeast. Allow it to proof for 10-15 minutes. You should see the yeast bubble up and form a layer of foam on top of the water.
Place 2 cups flour in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt, 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, and the yeast/water mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until combined. Add in the 3rd cup of flour and mix until combined, then add as much of the 4th cup as you need until the dough no longer sticks on your finger when you press on it. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, covering with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for a few hours, then separate into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion out into a pizza crust.
While the dough is rising, add olive oil to a pan and cook the mushrooms, peppers, and onion. Preheat the oven to 400. Place the broccolini on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning, until lightly browned. Reserve the cooked veggies in a bowl.
After rolling out the pizza crust, top with sauce, then cheese, then veggies. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.