Dis the delivery guy, make your own pizza
Shakespeare’s, Wise Guys, Imo’s, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Southside, Kostakis, Papa John’s, Gumby’s: It’s no secret to Columbia that pizza is a main source of nutrition for college students. What I’m going to propose is a pizza that you can make all on your own.
Most grocers sell pizza crust. I choose to buy Uprise Bakery pizza crust from Hy-Vee. They come in packages of three and one crust and a side, can feed one person.
Anyway, once you buy the crust of your choice pick your toppings. My favorite recipes are Greek inspired. I sauté tomatoes, black olives, green olives, capers, minced garlic and onions in a tiny drizzle of olive oil. I use this mix as my pizza topping, without sauce. The vegetables create their own liquid that I drizzle across the crust before topping my pizza with the chunky mix.
After the crusts are topped I sprinkle feta cheese on top. Not enough to look like the usual oily, cheese slathered on delivery pizza, but enough to garnish with some flavor.
I bake the pizza for five to 10 minutes on a low setting. Then I broil for about three minutes, just enough to get that crispy look on top.
The whole process from sauté to broil takes about 20 minutes. If I’m cooking for more than one, I use one pizza as a side to a dinner salad or pasta. If it’s just me, I usually have the pizza and a side that doesn’t require cooking, like pita and hummus or yogurt.
If these ingredients aren’t your thing, don’t be discouraged. Self-made pizzas don’t have hard and fast rules. Try something more traditional like tomato paste with shredded cheddar jack cheese and pepperoni.
Get creative with your sauce and topping combos. Try barbecue sauce with chicken or an Alfredo sauce with broccoli. The possibilities are endless, and it’s not difficult to try new things when you’re starting with something as blank as a pizza crust.
