While they were here we met for a late lunch at a restaurant that baked its pizzas over a coal fired oven. My sister wondered what kind of a place I had selected for lunch, but fortunately everyone gave the pizza, particularly its crust, rave reviews. Ever since that lunch, I have been wanting to make a pizza.
Growing up the only kind of pizza we ordered had a thin crust. I don't ever recall making pizza in our house, unless of course you count baking a frozen pizza in the oven as making pizza. It was a food that was ordered and picked up from the only pizza take-out and delivery place in town on either Friday or Saturday nights. We always and only ordered an extra-large cheese and sausage. Little did I know back then there were other options for toppings. When I went to college that I discovered the decadent and delicious world of deep dish pizza. Garcia's and Papa Del's at the University of Illinois were two favorites. Over the course of time, my taste in pizza has come full circle and I am now back to preferring thin crust over deep dish.
When Jim Lahey's book "My Pizza" cookbook came out I immediately had to make his dough to see what all the fuss was about. His dough is really very good, however, it is a dough that takes quite a long time to rise. Although it's one that doesn't require kneading, the 18 hour rise and wait time makes you have to plan at least a day in advance. So this weekend I thought I would try Alex Guarnaschelli's dough recipe as its start to finish dough making time is a little more than two hours. And in a significant departure, I thought would take some short cuts and use a San Marzano pizza sauce (already made and bottled) and Stonewall Kitchen's basil pesto. I wanted my attention to be only on the making of the dough. Could I have made the sauce too? So yes, admittedly this is not a pure, made from scratch pizza recipe. Sometimes we need to make things a little easier on ourselves. But seriously, this pizza was pretty gosh darn good.
Staying with the simple theme here (not a theme that I consistently subscribe to), I thought I would make a Margherita Pizza. One having just pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, freshly grated romano cheese, some olive oil and some chopped fresh basil. A perfect Friday night pizza. Better yet, this is a perfect just about any night of the week pizza.
In a medium sized bowl, the yeast and warm water (110 degrees) are mixed together and left to rest for five minutes. I am still using a thermometer to test the water temperature as I haven't yet learned what 110 degrees feels like. While the yeast is mixture is resting, measure out three and a half cups of flour, all-purpose flour.
Half of the flour is sifted into the yeast mixture. Using your hands you mix both together until smooth. What makes this dough different from other pizza doughs is the use of honey. Before adding the rest of the flour, you add two teaspoons of Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper an 1 scant Tablespoon of high quality honey. The rest of the flour is then added.
Initially I began mixing the dough with a wooden spoon and then started using my hands. At first it looks like it may not come together, but have patience as it will. Once all mixed together, you turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and smooth. I needed for almost the full 5 minutes. The ball of dough is placed in an olive oil lined large bowl, covered with plastic wrap, placed in a warm location and allowed to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, you put onto a floured surface where you shape into a ball. The large ball of dough is then cut into four sections. Reshape into balls, placed on a cookie sheet, covered with a clean dish towel, and allowed to rest for at least 15 minutes.
I like a free form pizza cooked on a pizza stone. Working with one dough ball at a time, the dough is stretched into the shape of preference (circle or rectangle or oval). The edges of the dough of brushed with olive oil. Almost every book I read about making pizzas shares that this is one of the important 'tricks' of making a great pizza crust.
The pizza sauce is added to the top of the dough, up to the olive oil brushed edges. I like adding small dollops of basil pesto randomly on top of the sauce.
The fresh thinly sliced mozzarella, freshly grated romano cheese and a sprinkling of pepper are the final layers before placing in the oven. When I am working on a pizza peel, I sprinkle the peel with semolina flour so it is easier to slide the pizza onto the stone. Before turning the oven temperature to 450 degrees, place the pizza stone in the oven. The stone should be hot when you transfer the pizza from the peel to the stone.
The pizza is then baked for 10 to 14 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted, the sides of the pizza have puffed up and have a light to medium browned edge. Remove from the oven, top with drizzle of olive oil and freshly chopped basil. Adding a drizzle of olive oil to the top of the pizza adds great flavor and makes for a perfect finishing touch. Slice into squares or wedges and enjoy.
Recipe
Margherita Pizza (pizza dough recipe very slight adaptation of Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe)
Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (generally one package)
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 scant Tablespoon of honey
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin oil oil
Jar of pizza sauce (this is enough for the four pizzas made with this dough)
Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin (I like the Bel Gioioso brand)
Basil Pesto (I like Stonewall Kitchen's)
Freshly grated Romano cheese (about a 1/4 cup over each pizza)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper on each pizza
Extra virgin olive oil
Semolina flour dusting the pizza peel or pizza pan
A few fresh basil leaves
Direction
1. In a medium sized bowl, combine yeast with warm water. Stir to dissolve and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
2. Using a strainer or sifter, sift about half of the flour over the yeast mixture, blending with your hands until smooth.
3. Add salt, pepper, and honey and mix to blend. Sift in remaining flour and mix until blended.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft and smooth.
5. Place ball into a large bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover with saran wrap, place in warm location an allow to rise until double in size, approximately 90 minutes.
5. Gently press on the dough and turn onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. rolling each quarter into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet, cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. Flatten each dough ball into a 10 to 12 inch circle or rectangle.
8. Brush edges of dough with extra virgin olive oil. Spread pizza sauce (amount as desired) up to edge of olive oil, and add dollops of basil pesto.
9. Place thinly sliced mozzarella on top, spread a handful of grated romano cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper on top.
10. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until mozzarella is melted and edges of crust are a light to medium brown. Remove from oven.
11. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top along with some chopped basil. Cut and serve immediately.
Eating pizza on Friday nights was a routine back in college, but since then there really have not been any 'food' routines in my life. Whether it's always going to the same restaurant each week for dinner or breakfast or making the same food on one day of the week, there is something rather comforting about having certain predictable food routines in one's life. This pizza dough recipe has got me thinking that maybe I should again return to eating pizza on Friday night. Maybe some things are meant to come full circle. The only difference this time is that instead of ordering a pizza for takeout or delivery, the pizza will be homemade.
