It's the first day of school here in Iowa today and with the special day falling on a Friday, I thought what better way to celebrate than with my kids' favorite Homemade Stuffed Crust Pizza! This pizza is easy to make with staple ingredients that, if your family is anything like mine, you always have stocked - string cheese and pepperoni!
I can hardly believe it, but this year our kids are in 8th, 6th, 4th and 3rd grades! Over the years, I've learned to take it easy on the first day of school - and really, the first week - as the kids adjust and transition back to the school schedule. The best way to do that is to have a quiet night at home, and for us, Friday night is pizza night. So, I'm making it extra special by preparing their favorite Homemade Stuffed Crust Pizza.
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| Back to School this morning! 6th grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade and 8th grade! |
I use string cheese, which feels like a childhood staple, to make the stuffed crust. I like to cut the string cheese sticks into a few sections each so your pizza still resembles a circle and not an octagon! The stuffed crust also helps create a nice border to fill with sauce, your favorite ingredients—pepperoni for my kids—and plenty of cheese.
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| Assembling the Stuffed Crust |
There's just something comforting and special about homemade pizza, and what better way to end the first day of school than by making your own at home?
Homemade Stuffed Crust Pizza
Ingredients:
- 1 (7g) Quick Yeast pack
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 cup Hot Tap Water
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 6 String Cheese Sticks
- 7 oz Pizza Sauce (or half a jar)
- 1.75 oz Pepperoni slices (or enough to cover the pizza to your liking)
- 2 cups Shredded Pizza Blend Cheese
Instructions:
Prepare the Dough: Start by making your homemade pizza crust. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and sugar with the hot tap water. Stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes until frothy. Then add salt and oil, and stir. Next, mix in the flour until combined. Cover with a lid or towel and let rise for at least 2 hours. I love using my big Tupperware Thatsa bowl, and I know things are going well if, after 45 minutes or so, I hear a "pop" as the yeast activates and the dough rises.
Shape the Crust: Once the dough has risen, knead it on a floured surface and roll it out into a circle the size of your pizza pan. Place the rolled dough on a greased pizza plate. Cut each string cheese stick into 3 or 4 pieces and place them evenly around the edge of the pizza crust. Fold and pinch the outside of the dough over the cheese to create a sealed "stuffed crust" border.
Pre-Bake: Bake the crust in a 450°F oven for 5 minutes. Then, take it out and top it with pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, and shredded cheese.
Final Bake: Bake the pizza for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.
Serve and Enjoy: Slice it up and enjoy!
What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Check out some of my other favorite Back to School recipes:
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