What do we really want for Valentine’s Day? Chocolate? Sure. Flowers? You bet. Ah, but what about a heart-shaped pizza? That’s true love … at least in my world. I made this a few years ago for my pizza-loving husband, and I’m not saying that’s what convinced him to propose but all I’m saying is it didn’t hurt! Go ahead and buy store-bought dough if you must, but this homemade pizza dough is simple and truly delicious; plus it comes even more from the heart, pun intended. Select toppings that your valentine loves. I went for sausage, peppers and onions, using heart-shaped cookie cutters for the peppers.
To make the dough, you’ll just need a packet of instant yeast, some all-purpose flour, salt, honey, and olive oil. A stand mixer will make quick work of the kneading process, but it can absolutely be done by hand. If you have a pizza stone, cast iron skillet, or griddle pan, these will mimic the crispy, charred crust of wood-fired ovens. I have a large cast iron griddle that I use for this purpose, and it works great but only works for personal-sized pizzas.
This recipe creates two medium pizzas or four personal-sized pizzas. If you have a pizza oven, this dough will work perfectly in there (and I’m deeply jealous). For those of us without pizza ovens and pizza stones, a traditional baking sheet will work great. May I make a suggestion about pizza baking in traditional ovens: Crank that heat up! No one wants a watery, underbaked crust. Heat it up to 500-515 degrees Fahrenheit to let that crust fully develop flavor and for your ingredients’ moisture to truly evaporate. Might I also suggest that you not go overboard with the sauce. I’m a saucy gal, but you can always add sauce on the side for dipping. If you over-sauce, the bottom of your crust really doesn’t stand a chance against the moisture. This is where a cast iron base or pizza stone really helps because then it’s getting the heat underneath. Lodge makes an excellent two-burner cast iron griddle that I especially like for pizza, but I also use it for pancakes, grilling steaks, vegetables, and even fried rice. For around $40, you have a versatile, long-lasting, multi-use tool.
Another tip for making pizza at home is to use corn meal under your dough when shaping. To get your pizza into a heart shape, flatten and round into a circle; then form your heart. Using the cornmeal will stabilize the shape as you press it into your baking pan. You may want to over exaggerate the shape as it will shrink a little when baking. Once formed, add some jarred tomato sauce (I like Rao’s marinara), some shredded or sliced mozzarella, and desired toppings so it’s ready to bake. Like I mentioned, you want a high temperature but keep a close eye. If your cheese is browning way too much, you can lower the heat a bit until everything else has fully baked, about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your pizza. Serve hot and enjoy with your valentine.
Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
1 packet instant yeast
1 and 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl
Instructions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast, warm water and honey. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
- With a dough hook attachment, mix with flour, salt and oil for 5 minutes on low speed.
- Place dough in a glass bowl. Roll dough in olive oil and coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Cut dough into 2 or 4 pieces, depending on the size of the pizzas you are creating: medium-size or individual.
- Bake at 500-515 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size, until the bottom crust is golden and the toppings are fully cooked.
