Recipe: Italian Meatball Pizza (thin or thick crust)

ITALIAN MEATBALL PIZZA
"Kids love meatballs and they'll love this pizza."



FOR THE CRUST:
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast OR RapidRise Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)*
3 tablespoons oil
FOR THE TOPPINGS:
3/4 cup marinara sauce
2 cups frozen, precooked 1-inch meatballs, thawed
2 cups shredded pizza cheese blend
1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (If not using Pizza yeast, cover dough and let rest 10 minutes.)

Pat dough with floured hands to fill greased pizza pan or baking sheet or roll dough on a floured counter to 12-inch circle; place in greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.

Spread crust with marinara sauce. Cut meatballs in half; place cut side down on top of marinara. Top with pizza cheese and sprinkle with green bell pepper.

Bake on lowest oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

*If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.

**To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you.Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.

Makes 1 (12-inch) pizza

VARIATION:

FOR ONE THICK CRUST 9-INCH PIZZA:
Use crust to make one thick crust 9-inch pizza. Increase baking time to 20 minutes.

Source: Fleishmann's Yeast, ACH Food Companies, Inc.