Introduction: Easy No-Knead Pizza

About: i'm retired from a low stress university job in a large ag college within an enormous state university. I loved that, but I love retirement even more.

This quick and easy pizza will feed four pretty hungry adults or two teens. I make it with all sorts of toppings. The one in this recipe happens to be onion and anchovy, which is especially great.

You will need for the dough:

1-1/4 cup warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina (if you do not have semolina use AP flour instead)

1-1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp instant yeast. I use SAF which is by far the best.

Mix the dry ingredients with a whisk, then add water and oil, and blend.

Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Step 1: Working the Dough

After your soft sticky dough has rested for 30 minutes, lightly oil a 17"x 12" half-sheet pan with a rim, and put the ball of dough in the middle. Let it rest there for an additional 20 minutes.

Then, spread the dough in the pan. I use a drinking glass as a rolling pin to spread the dough evenly. Oil the glass a bit to make this easier.

When this part is done, let the dough rise covered with a dish towel for at least 30 more minutes. Longer is better, but you'll see a nice rise pretty fast.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

After the dough has risen for at least 30-60 minutes, bake it with no toppings for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven, but do not turn the oven off. Now we'll add toppings.

Step 2: Adding the Toppings

Here are the toppings I use for this pizza.

1 cup pizza sauce (or about half a typical jar of sauce)

Three medium onions sauteed in olive oil in a little sauce pan.

1 can flat anchovies

A whole bunch of chopped green onion

1/2 grated parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded pizza cheese

Pizza seasoning: crushed red pepper, oregano, basil etc Mix up whatever you like.

NOW paint the half cooked pizza with pizza sauce. Do not over do it. Sprinkle with grated cheese and pizza seasoning. Add anchovies. If you do not like anchovies use oil cured black olives. Add the cooked onions. Add the uncooked sliced green onions. Add the shredded pizza cheese, mozzarella or provolone or whatever blend you like.

Now you are ready to bake!

Step 3: Final Bake

The total cooking time should be 25 minutes, so now bake the topped pizza for 17 more minutes in your 425 degree oven. Check perhaps toward the end to not over cook, but this usually works out exactly for me.

Remove pizza from oven.

Cool on a rack for a five minutes or so.

Slice into square pieces, and serve.