Home / Food and Recipes / I Challenged Dominos to a Pizza Bake-Off and This is What Happened
ingredients on a table for homemade pizza with no-rise dough

I Challenged Dominos to a Pizza Bake-Off and This is What Happened

/9 Comments/in /by Mary Hunt
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

There are some who consider pizza the perfect food. It has complex carbohydrates, vegetables, dairy, and protein. Okay, maybe “perfect” is stretching it a bit, but I remember when pizza was something you shouldn’t eat too much of because it might spoil your dinner. Now it is dinner.

ingredients on a table for homemade pizza with no-rise dough

 

Millions of families rely on pizza because it is quick, cheap, and convenient. But is it? To find out, I conducted a somewhat less-than-scientific test. Could I make, bake, and get a reasonably delicious pizza on the table in less time and for less money than it would take to order and wait to have a pizza delivered? 

The Challenge

I ordered a large 14-inch thin-crust tomato and cheese pizza from Domino’s for delivery. As soon as I closed the app, I went to work on my homemade version of that pizza with a no-rise crust.

No-Rise Crust

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tspn cornmeal
  • 1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
  • 1 tspn sugar
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110℉)
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tspn salt

Tomato Cheese Topping

  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 3/4 pound Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
  • 2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425℉.
  2. While the oven is heating, rub 1 teaspoon of olive oil over a 14-inch pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. In a small bowl, Stir yeast and sugar into the warm water and let stand until foamy (2-3 minutes).
  3. Combine flour, salt, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade*. Turn on the machine.
  4. Pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube. Process until dough forms into a ball inside the bowl. If dough sticks, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time. When you reach the desired consistency, process the dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.
  5. Roll dough immediately on a heavily floured board to a 14-inch circle. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.
  6. Transfer dough to pizza pan. Work the edge to form a rim. Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle on minced garlic and cover with an even layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 6 slices. Serve!

Challenge Results

My homemade gourmet-style pizza was out of the oven, cut, and partially consumed before the doorbell rang. It’s difficult to give an unbiased opinion on the homemade versus the commercial product because, well, I am anything but impartial. 

Just let me say there’s nothing like the taste of fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on freshly baked homemade dough.

As for the time factor, I beat Dominos by a full 20 minutes. And the cost? My homemade pizza: Less than $4. Dominos: $28.92, including tip. I declared myself the winner! Haha. That’s how it works when you create the challenge, enter yourself into the challenge, and then also name yourself the judge! 

Here’s a tip for you

I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re probably not going to make a perfectly shaped pizza on your first try. If at first you don’t succeed: Make more homemade pizza! It’ll get easier every time and can only get more delicious.

RELATED: Homemade English Muffin Bread

ingredients on a table for homemade pizza with no-rise dough
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
3 from 2 votes

Tomato Cheese Pizza

There’s nothing like the taste of fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on freshly baked homemade dough.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 252kcal

Ingredients

No-Rise Pizza Crust

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 tspns cornmeal
  • 1 (.25oz) pkg active dry yeast
  • 1 tspn white sugar
  • 1 tspn salt
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsps warm water (110℉)
  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Tomato Cheese Topping

  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • ¾ pound Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly.
  • 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425℉
  • In the meantime, rub 1 teaspoon olive oil over a 14-inch pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. .
  • In a small bowl, stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy (2-3 minutes)
  • Combine flour, salt, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a food processor bowl with a metal blade. Turn on the machine. See NOTES
  • Pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube. Process until dough forms into a ball inside the bowl. If dough sticks, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time. When you reach the desired consistency, process the dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.
  • Stretch and pull the dough immediately on a heavily floured board into a 14-inch circle. If dough resists by springing back into a ball, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again. See NOTES.
  • Transfer dough to pizza pan. Work the edge to form a rim. Brush with remaining one tablespoon oil. Sprinkle on minced garlic and cover with an even layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and wprinkle with basil. Cut and serve!

Notes

NOTES:
  1. This dough can be made with an electric mixer. in a bread machine, or with a bowl and wooden spoon although a food processor is ideal.
  2. You can use a rolling pin to shape the dough to fit your pizza plan, no problem! Just keep in mind that stretching and pulling the dough by hand helps to preserve the bubbles in the dough which gives the pizza a more chewing crust. Rolling has a way of squishing and breaking them.
  3. You can absolutely use a bottled sauce, your favorite toppings, and mozzarella cheese to customize your taste and available ingredients

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg

 

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

More from Everyday Cheapskate

slow cooker hot weather meals salads plus pico de gallo recipes

3 Slow Cooker Summer Salads for Hot Weather Dinners

a woman holding a crate of cucumbers

Cucumbers Galore? Here’s What to Do With Every Single One

what to pack for kids lunchboxes young boy and girl eating a banana and a sandwich

Back-to-School Lunch Ideas for a Week (No Boring Sandwiches)

refreshing glasses of iced tea with fresh lemon slices and ice best way to make tea

The Best Way to Make Iced Tea? Depends What You’re After

creamy whipped frozen coffee drink on balcony with whipped cream

I Stopped Buying $7 Frappuccinos. Here’s What I Make Now

a lit sparkler with an american flag in the background 4th of july hacks tips and recipes

34 Fourth of July Recipes and DIY Hacks for a Stress-Free Holiday

Grilled Peaches with Balsamic and Blue Cheese

Summer Grilled Peaches with Balsamic and Blue Cheese

cheesy chicken and rice casserole in a baking dish

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake That Disappears at Family Dinners

delicious creamy no churn vanilla ice cream scoop and loaf pan

3-Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream (No Machine Needed)



Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
and on-topic in keeping with EC Commenting Guidelines



Caught yourself reading all the way 'til the end? Why not share with a friend.

9 replies
  1. Joy says:

    With a large family I started choking on the price tag of pizza. Even store bought adds up fast with large hungry teens. So when we started doing a family pizza night I got good at making pizza. And over the years the kids started learning. Now three of them are pros at making some of the best pizza ever. And they learned kitchen skills they will need as they start their own homes.

    Reply
  2. Don says:

    1 star
    Mary, did you pay Domino’s almost $29 for one pizza? How is that possible?

    My favorite pizza is Little Caesar’s STUFFED CRUST. It has to be stuffed crust, not their regular crust. Not only do I think it tastes best, but it also costs less than Domino’s, Pizza Hut and all the others. And they’re a mile from my house. (Sadly, not all Little Caesar’s offer stuffed crust.)

    Reply
  5. Linda A Pries says:

    I will admit I don’t order delivery pizza but I occasionally order take out and if I have my coat on and keys in hand my pizza will be waiting when I get to the pizzeria. It takes about 15 minutes for the pizza to be ready to pick up.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!
3 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How was it?




Bar Keepers Friend: The Secret to a Spotless HomeBKF cleaning a Stainless surfacethe shark navigator vacuumA Vacuum Cleaner Story So Disgusting It Is Embarrassing to Tell