Thursday, August 9, 2012
Pizza Dough 1
I have tried a ton of different pizza dough recipes; trying to get that perfect crunch and chewiness. In the end, I found that the real secret was to use a pizza stone. I don't recommend buying a 'real' pizza stone though. Instead, go to your local home improvement store and buy a few granite tiles (if you live in the southwest, 1" thick UNGLAZED saltillo tiles work even better and are cheaper). You can get more surface area for much cheaper than what you would pay for a premium pizza stone. Here are the 2 different recipes that I use. You can get a better crisp (even without a pizza stone) with the first recipe, but it must be made 24 hours in advance.
Recipe 1
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached flour (I use 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 all purpose flour), chilled
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting
Add the first four ingredients to a chilled bowl and mix together. Add the flour and use dough hook on mixer to combine. Knead for 6 minutes on medium speed in mixer. If the dough works its way all the way up the hook, then add about 2 teaspoons of cold water. If the dough is sticking to the sides, add flour a pinch at a time until it holds to the hook and not the sides. Ideally, the dough should be mostly on the hook and just on the bottom of the bowl, it should not stick to the sides. If kneading by hand, just work the dough until is pretty stiff, usually about 10 min.
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper that has been lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and generously flour them then transfer them to the cookie sheet. Generously coat the dough with cooking spray then cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove the pizzas from the refrigerator 2 hours before you are ready to bake them. Let them sit for 15 minutes, then knead them for about 2-3 minutes on a floured counter. Re-cover the dough with the saran and allow it to rest for the remaining hour and forty-five minutes.
Hand Toss Method
It takes some practice, but this is the only dough recipe that I have ever been able to hand toss. Flour your hands and the dough well. Press the dough into a round 6" disc with your fingers. When you pick up the dough, it should be soft, but shouldn't stretch out under it's own weight. First lay it over the backs of your partially closed hands. Gently give it a stretch and give it a little 'hop' turn. Repeat. As the dough gets bigger, your hands will be further and further apart.
Rolling Pin Method
Lightly flour the dough, work surface, and rolling pin. Start the dough by pressing it into a 6" disc with your fingers. Start in the center with the rolling pin and roll outwards with minimal pressure. Give the dough about 1/8 of a turn and repeat all the way around. If the dough pulls back to its original shape, allow it to rest for a few more minutes.
Finishing
To make the crust 'lip' just make the pizza a little bit bigger than you want the final product to be, then roll the edge in on itself.
I like to top this pizza crust rather minimally. Very little sauce, very fresh ingredients. I generally try to keep it to no more than 3 toppings (plus sauce and cheese).
Rub the outer crust with olive oil and add toppings. This can be baked on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 30 min. or throw it on a 450 degree preheated pizza stone for about 10-15 min.
For a family of 5, I usually use 2 of the 4 balls of dough and I make 2 medium sized pizzas.
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