Pizza: Dough and Toppings

Post date: Mar 15, 2010 1:05:41 AM

1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 C. warm water

3 C. all purpose unbleached flour

3/4 cup cool water

1 t. salt

2 T. olive oil

1 T. honey

extra flour for working dough

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for coating bowl

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 t. red chile flakes

corn meal for sliding pizza on to stone

pizza stone(s)

pizza peels

Making the Dough:

In a small glass, bowl, or 1-cup measure, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water to proof (about 10 minutes). In a 1-2 cup capacity glass, bowl, or measure, combine cool water, salt, olive oil, honey. Whisk to dissolve salt.

Drizzle a glass or ceramic bowl with olive oil and coat sides and bottom of bowl evenly to keep dough from sticking to bowl.

Place flour in food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse to sift. With food processor running, pour oil-honey mixture through feed tube.

Then add dissolved yeast. Process until dough forms a ball on the blade.. Add sprinklings of flour if sticky.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth. Place in oiled bowl and let rest, covered with a damp kitchen towel, for 30 minutes or until at least doubled in size.

For four individual "designer" pizzas, divide dough into four equal parts to yield four 7" pizzas. For two large "crowd-sharing" pizzas, divide dough into 2 equal parts to yield two 12-14" pizzas. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth, tight ball. Place dough balls on a jelly roll pan or tray, cover with a damp towel, and refrigerate. Note: If dough balls will be crowded on tray subsequent to second rising in the refriegerator, you can place each dough ball in a loose plastic bag to keep them separate and prevent them from melding into one another. Keep bags loose and open to allow dough balls to rise and expand. In any case, keep entire tray of dough balls--with or without plastic bags--covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent dough from drying out or hardening.

Shaping & Baking Pizzas:

One hour before baking, remove dough from refrigerator to bring to room temperature and preheat oven to 500°F (!). If using a single pizza stone, place it on lower rack. If using two stones, place one stone at middle level and second stone on lower rack. Let stones heat for at least an hour. Place extra virgin olive in small bowl or glass and sprinkle red chile flakes over.

For individual pizzas, form dough balls into 7" circles. For larger crowd pizzas, form dough balls into 12" circles. Place dough ball on lightly floured work surface. W ith your hands, pat dough ball into a thick disc. Use a rolling pin or wine bottle to roll dough into flat circles.

Sprinkle generous amount of corn meal on far edge of pizza peel. Resist intuitive urge to place pizza circle in center of peel. Instead, place dough circle on the peel as near to far edged as possible, to facilitate easier sliding on to the pizza stone. Test sufficiency of corn meal on the peel by using a jerking motion to be sure circle easily slides back and forth.

Using a brush or back of a teaspoon, coat dough circle with chile-flavored olive oil. If using tomato sauce, pesto, or tapenade, it's a good idea to spread them on first before adding other desired toppings.

Place loaded peel with far edge in middle to rear of stone. Using a jerking motion, slide pizza on to stone. Bake until crust is nicely browned and cheese is bubbly (10-15 min).

Pizza Toppings:

EVOO and chili flakes

tomato sauce

pesto

olive paste / tapenade (green and purple)

roasted bell peppers

grape tomatoes, halved

roma tomatoes, sliced

pepperoni

baby zucchini, halved or quartered lengthwise

zucchini blossoms

caramelized onions

pancetta, diced

fontina (Italian, preferred, or Danish)

fresh mozzarella, sliced

goat cheese (soft)

feta cheese, crumbled

blue cheese, crumbled

parmigiano reggiano, grated

artichoke hearts

anchovies

sardines

shrimp

matsutake

enoki mushrooms

oyster mushrooms

Notes:

(1) Never, never, never forget the corn meal! Uncooked pizza will not budge off the peel without it!

(2) One recipe easily feeds 4 very hungry people. With side dishes, one recipe can probably feed 6 people. To be sure we have enough pizza, we assume 1 batch of dough for every 4 people and we will often make an extra batch to be able to partially bake a 2-3 pizzas for freezing. See note (3). For 12 people at Corn Group party on 11/5/11 (Bank Transfer Day!), we made 4 batches of dough to yield 8 "crowd-sharing" 12-14" pizzas. We ended up with 2 more pizzas than we really needed so had plenty of leftovers to send everyone home with a couple of snacks.

(3) Freezing: Partially baked pizza freezes very well for later baking. Instead of baking pizza completely, let bake for only 7 minutes or so to set ingredients but not brown crust. Let pizza cool before storing in a ziploc bag. When ready to use, preheat oven and stone to 500°F for one hour. Do not thaw. Using peel, place frozen pizza on preheated stone and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.

(4) Use this dough recipe for variations on pizza such as calzone, foccacia, and flat breads.

(5) We like to serve with Caesar Salad Flower and bowl of creamy Burrata, Heirloom Tomato & Basil "Daisy" Salad.

Pictures: Rob's group (Kohei, Yulin, Nico) making pizzas; Mastutake Mushroom Pizza.