On Friday nights, sometimes there’s nothing better than curling up on the couch to relax with a movie and a pizza. We’d always order from a pizzeria because I was convinced making homemade dough would be a chore. Happily, I discovered this dough recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook a few weeks ago which is a snap to pull together (just remember to make it the morning of or the night before). It makes me want to have pizza every night! My favorite pie so far is made with a garlicky olive oil sauce, instead of traditional marinara, and is topped with lots of mozzarella cheese, salami, mushrooms and fresh basil.

Garlicky Salami & Mushroom Pizza 
(Pizza dough recipe by The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

Yield: one 12-ounce dough, making one thin 9-by-13 inch loosely rectangular pizza

1/2 cup warm water (about 110 to 116 degrees)
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for counter
1 teaspoon table salt
Olive oil, for coating bowl

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced (I like using my garlic press to create a garlic paste)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 ounces (115 to 140 grams) mozzarella, grated
A few slices of salami
1/2 cup of mushrooms
Few fresh basil leaves, torn into bits

Pour 1/2 cup warm water into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add the flour, then salt, and mix with a wooden spoon until a rough, craggy mass forms. Turn dough and any loose bits out onto lightly floured counter, and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth, elastic dough forms.

Coat inside of mixing bowl with olive oil, place dough back in bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. When you’re ready to use it, remove it from the fridge, let it come back to room temperature, and turn your oven on to warm (about 200 to 225 degrees) for 5 minutes; then turn it off. Place in previously warmed oven, and let it sit for 30 minutes, or until doubled.

Once the dough has finished doubling, remove from oven. Stretch dough out haphazardly to fill prepared 9×13 rectangular baking sheet.

Preheat oven to its highest temperature. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small pan until hot. Lightly sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. In a small bowl, add garlic and remaining olive oil and stir to combine. Using a pastry brush, spread dough with garlic olive oil sauce, leaving a small margin at edges, then top with mozzarella. Add sliced salami, followed by mushrooms. Bake pizza for 7 to 11 minutes until bubbly and a bit brown on top. Sprinkle with basil and slice into squares.