In this lesson, participants learn to activate yeast, roll out and bake pizza dough, plus make a very simple mac and cheese with roasted red peppers — all using pantry items.
Mac and Cheese Pizza
Yields two 10-inch pizzas
Ingredients:
1/2 box Elbow pasta
8 oz Velveeta
Roasted red peppers
Extra oil for greasing pans
1 pack (0.25 oz) Active dry yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1 c warm water
2.5 c bread flour + .5 c for kneading
2T olive oil
Plus oil for brushing on dough (and possibly for greasing pans)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c pizza sauce
1 tsp Oregano
Equipment:
Pastry brush for oil (included in kit)
Thermometer (optional)
Timer
Whisk or spatula
Pot
Oven
2 Flat sheet trays or pizza rounds
Large bowl
Measuring spoons
Clean counter or pastry board (to roll dough on)
Silpats or oil for sheet tray surface
Rolling pin
Pastry cutter (optional)
Before we start:
Boil water for pasta
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Get two sheet pans with Silpats or lightly greased.
Prep:
Heat 1 cup drinking/filtered water to 100-110 degrees. (Boil 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup cold, wait 5 minutes. Do not exceed 140 degrees.)
Chop roasted bell peppers
Heat 1 cup drinking/filtered water to 100-110 degrees.
Pizza dough:
In bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Then sprinkle in yeast, stir, and let stand until creamy (5-10 min). (Activating yeast)
Mac & cheese:
Once water boils, cook pasta according to box instructions.
To yeast:
Add flour, salt, and 2T olive oil. Knead until smooth, but not sticky.
Cover, rest for 5-10 min.
When pasta is done cooking:
Drain pasta.
In pot, add cooked pasta, velveeta, and chopped roasted bell peppers.
Cover.
Pre-bake dough:
Roll to 1/4 inch and place on cooking sheet/tray
Brush with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.
Bake 5-10 min
Watch out for browning on edges.
Adjust time for different cooking surfaces.
Finish pizza:
Remove pre-baked dough from oven
Stir Mac with cheese to combine.
Top pizza with sauce and Mac
Bake 10 min
When pizza is done:
Sprinkle oregano garnish
Please recycle!
Compost produce scraps.
Wash out the cans and recycle.
Recycle cardboard boxes.
Pizza dough adapted from:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/
This lesson was created for Pasadena Public Library by Jane Gov, Youth Services Librarian. Any reference or adaptations to this recipe can be credited to Pasadena Public Library.