Jan 05 2008
New Year Feast – Home made pizza
As I mentioned many times, I want to cook more often. I am not good in cooking, have to make many experiments including this one that I did on the New Year 2008.
I got this set of ingredient and utensil from my last Chicago trip. Strange, when I read that post just now, I did write “..a set of ingredients, cook book and utensils…”. Why I can’t find the cook book? Is there a cook book? If there is one, where is it now? Puzzle…
Before the ingredients expired, I thought I better use it ASAP. I thought it is for ONE pizzas, but no, it is for TWO thick pizzas or FOUR thin pizzas, separated in two sets of flour and dried yeast.
I don’t have a cook book, so I just followed the instructions behind the pack. First, pour the pastry flour in a big bowl.
Then, pour in the yeast and mix well.
At this point, I’m supposed to add in 1 1/4 cup hot water and 2 tablespoon olive oil. Just as I added the 2 tablespoon of oil, I realized that the water is not hot enough. My maid had switched off the pot earlier! I waited 20 min for it to boil. 
(not sure whether the mistake started at this point or not, coz the oil is inside long before the water went in)
After I added 1 1/4 cup of water, I felt something not quite right… the mixture became very watery. Is my cup bigger than Chicago people’s cups? (maybe the failure started here)
After mixing well, I’m supposed to put the dough on well floured table and knead for 8-10 times. But, but, but… the dough was like sticky mud that sticked on my hands and I had great difficulties put it on the table, not to mention kneading it!
As instructed, I added some flour when needed. Still like that! I kept adding (maybe the failure continue here).
While I treated the dough, I asked my maid to help sprinkle some corn flour on the greased pan, she ended up putting a LAYER of flour. (further damage)
Okay, finally I forced this dough on the baking pan.
The rest is quite simple. I added this spice from Chicago into the Prego sauce.
Spread the pizza sauce on top of the dough, added all the cooked ingredients: chopped chicken meat, slices of crab meat, chunks of pineapples, sliced tomato, shredded mozarella cheese… It looked good.
Then, put the dough into a preheated oven. Somewhat my brain has cheated me again. In the pack it reads ‘bake for 15-20 min’, and I read ‘bake for 10-15 min’. (the most terrible mistake?)
No wonder I felt it wasn’t quite right baking for such a short time! When it was nearly 15 min, I took out and it looked good from outside.
Ian, my greatest supporter, was very excited, wanted to eat them. After it is cooled down, and I cut a slice for him, DH tried a bite and… ALAMAK!!! the flour is still wet and uncooked! I had to fight with Ian to take back the slice and re-baked the pizza.
After another 15 min, somewhat, the inside still very wet, but at least it is cooked. My greatest fan has no sense of taste - he still ate one whole piece and kept telling me: “Mama, thank you for cooking pizza for me.” “Mama, this is very nice!”
I really couldn’t eat more after forcing 1 slice down. We put the rest back to the oven, tried to make the inside dryer, but after 2 rounds, still wet — like wet bread. The inside is definitely having bread’s texture, but somewhat very wet. I baked it until the outside burnt, still inside wet.
Sigh! My first cooking of 2008, and I failed miserably. Never mind, I keep telling myself, I have another set to try again. Wait till everyone forget the horrible taste… Hehehehe!
BTW, I must mention this. Ian is always my greatest supporter. The last time when I cooked burger for lunch, he ate the whole burger and kept telling me how nice it was. He seldom could eat one whole burger – at most 1/2 is already good. I’d definitely cook more for his sake. LOL!
Aww… I’m sorry your first cooking experience of 2008 didn’t go as well as planned. The pictures make it look delicious though!
hmmm…. i think with flour and yeast after kneading you have to leave it to rise for about an hour or so, depending on how warm it is…
wah…ur first attempt and you cooked pizza?!
making the dough is quite difficult le (IMO).
I usually just use those ready made dough.
By the way…1 cup means 8 oz (for liquid)
Taylor: Actually the topping is quite delicious, and my son misses it.
sue: Hmm… thanks for that point, I read a cook book yesterday and noticed that too – I thought pizza doesn’t need to, but apparently a mistake I made!
aiyu: Hehehe, this is not my 1st cooking in my life mah. I was in home science before, and able to bake cheese cakes, chocolate cakes, etc. But this is my 1st pizza attempt, and first yeast stuff attempt. Usually those recipe I used is for Malaysians, all using ml and Celcius in measurement. This US version use oz lah, cup lah, Fahrenhi lah, all make me headache.
(finding excuses liao!)
A good try! Pizza is obviously too “chim” for me
[...] my failed attempt early this year on homemade pizza, I have finally given it a second trial few weeks [...]