For many years we have been experimenting with making home made pizza. Our early attempts had us killing the yeast with boiling water, causing the dough not to rise to having a finish product with a crust that was hard as a rock. And let's not forget the soggy under cooked center. Oh the good ole days...
Fast forward to about two years ago. What did we learn?
Well for starters, (pun completely intended) water should be 110 degrees for optimal bloom of the yeast. This will assure that your dough will rise sufficently to give you a very nice crust. Another tip is to add two tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture before mixing, (thanks Giada). We also discovered that the dough requires sufficent time kneading (mixing the dough by hand in a push and pull method) to obtain the appropriate texture for a light and airy crust. Finally, we started to put all the dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients as we begin the mixing process. Once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a nice ball, its time place it on a flour dusted surface to begin kneading.
There are different schools of thought when it comes to kneading; by hand, which allows for the gluten to become elastic slower; in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Whichever method you employ you are looking for a smooth elastisity to the quality of the dough. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, spray a small amount of cooking spray on the surface of the dough ball and cover with a warmly wet tea towel. Place the covered bowl in a warm area and allow to rise until about double in size.
Once risen to double in size, now it's time to form the dough into pizza pies. Begin by turning out the dough onto a flour dusted work area. The recipe we use yeilds two large or three medium pizzas. Cut the dough into two or three equal portions depending on what size you wish to make. Work with one piece at a time and return the unused pieces to the greased bowl and recover with the tea towel.
Place a baker's stone on the rack in the center of your oven and preheat at 525 degrees for about 30 minutes prior to pressing out your dough. You need a very hot oven for the best results and you must allow enough time for the stone to heat up sufficently.
Form the dough back into a ball, pat down in the center and work from the center out. With each pressing turn the dough a quarter turn and continue to press and turn the dough until you reach 12 inches in diameter for a medium pizza or 14 inches for a large. To decide the appropriate style crust you should press to 1/8 inch thickness for thin crust and 1/4 inch for a thicker more bread like crust. Transfer the the pizza to a cornmeal dusted pizza peel. Slide the pizza back and forth on the peel to assure that it doesn't stick to the peel. With the pronges of a fork lightly dock the entire pizza surface. This will allow air to escape and prevent the dreaded dough bubble.
The key to preventing the soggy under cooked center is not to overload toppings on your pizza. We make sure all topping ingredients are prepared and ready to go. Cheese grated, sauce made and cooled and any other item finely diced, i.e. pepperoni, sausage, veggies, etc. We like our additional topping items finely diced as to give us the flavor without affecting the result of the basic pizza recipe.
** For the purpose of this posting we'll stick your basic cheese only pizza. Additional topping items will be covered in subsequent postings under this main posting.
Now it's time to add your toppings.
We spoon our tomato sauce/gravy 1/4 cup at a time and with a gravy ladel spread it over the crust leaving a 1/2 inch border for our perimeter crust. Don't over sauce. Then top sauce with a good hand full of parmesan cheese. A 1/4 cup each of shreaded packaged whole milk mozzarella and jack cheese. Finally top with sliced provolone cheese to cover sauced area. Give once last shake of the peel to assure that there is no sticking. Place pizza on the baking stone with a quick snap of the wrist to slide pizza off peel smoothly and quickly.
Bake for six minutes, the rotate pizza 180 degrees and bake for six minutes more. Then check under the pizza that brown crust has formed. Jiggle the pizza on the peel to assure all toppings are set, then let the pizza rest for at least three minutes .
Slice and enjoy.
Recipe:
Dough
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1Tbs Sugar
2 1/4 tsp Dry yeast
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 Tbs Olive oil
Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Until our next bite...Enjoy the experience of food
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