Exploring Elephants approved Pizza Recipe!
Ingredients:
- For the dough (optional: use store-bought dough to make it even easier):
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ tsp)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- For the toppings:
- ½ cup pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Optional toppings (let children choose their favorites!):
- Sliced pepperoni
- Chopped vegetables (like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or tomatoes)
- Sliced olives, pineapple, or cooked sausage
- Fresh basil or herbs for garnish
Instructions:
- Prepare the Dough (if making from scratch):
- In a large bowl, mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Add the olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, stirring to combine.
- Gradually add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, and stir until a dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it’s sticky, add a little more flour.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. (This is a great time for children to choose and prep the toppings!)
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 475°F while the dough is rising.
- Prepare the Pizza Base:
- After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 2 portions if you want to make two smaller pizzas, or keep it whole for one large pizza.
- Let children roll the dough out on a floured surface with a rolling pin. They can also press it with their hands to form a circle or rectangle, depending on what shape they want their pizza to be.
- Add the Sauce and Cheese:
- Place the pizza dough onto a greased baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Spread a generous amount of pizza sauce over the dough with a spoon or spatula, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Add the Toppings:
- Let chidlren get creative and add their favorite toppings. Whether they want to make patterns, create shapes, or just pile on the ingredients, it’s all about fun and customization!
- Bake the Pizza:
- Place the pizza in the preheated oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Keep an eye on it toward the end to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Cool and Serve:
- Once the pizza is done, let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy your homemade pizza with the family!
Tips for a Child-Friendly Experience:
- Use Pre-made Dough: If you’re short on time, use store-bought pizza dough or even English muffins for individual mini pizzas. This makes the process quicker and still gives children a hands-on experience.
- Customize Toppings: Allow each child to create their own pizza with their favorite toppings. This gives them a sense of ownership and creativity!
How does making pizza support my child’s learning?
Allowing children to cook and follow a recipe is an amazing activity for developing fine motor skills and practicing math concepts!
Fine motor skills:
- As a child sprinkles the cheese, and intentionally places toppings on their pizza they are using their pincer grasp. Using their thumb and index finger to grasp an object usually begins in children around the age of 9 months.
- Kneading the dough and spreading the sauce involve the small muscles in children’s hands and fingers, improving dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Kneading the dough, in particular, helps strengthen the muscles necessary for later tasks like writing, cutting with scissors, and using a pencil.
Mathematic concepts:
- Children practice their one-to-one correspondence as they count out toppings, or scoops of the flour for the dough. Children begin with this simple concept that helps them understand the rules of counting.
- We see children recognizing numbers and counting, and also learning about measurements when scooping ingredients like flour and sauce.