The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [67]
His arm reasonably twisted, Jim took on my pizza dough challenge like a champ, this time with a directive to bake his pie not on a pizza stone but on an inverted baking sheet.
Within 24 hours, he resurfaced. The e-mailed verdict: “OKAY DUDE I MADE PIZZA!!!!!! I FREAKIN DID IT AND IT WAS SOOOOOO YUMMY.”
What Jim is trying to say is, if his doughy thumbs can make pizza dough, yours can, too. Consider making a batch of dough in advance, keep in the fridge, and a two-pizza supper can be ready in about 40 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1 (¼-ounce) envelope active dry
yeast, or 2¼ teaspoons from
a jar
Pinch of sugar
About 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting pans
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Heat the water until its temperature reaches 100°F—this is not even close to boiling!—and pour into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the flour over the water. With a fork, stir until dissolved, cover the bowl, and allow it to sit at room temperature until the mixture is slightly foamy, about 15 minutes.
In a large bowl (think wide and shallow versus tall and narrow), place 1 cup of the flour, the salt, and the olive oil and stir to combine with a rubber spatula or heavy wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture and stir until just combined. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring between flour additions. You are looking for a soft, sticky dough that is just pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Depending on the weather (humidity, heat), the amount of flour used will vary between 2½ and 3½ cups total. It’s unnecessary to use the maximum amount.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and pour the mixture out of the bowl onto the work surface.
Begin kneading the dough in the following manner: punch gently but firmly, fold in half, and turn (rotate 15 minutes on your imaginary clock, or one-quarter turn). Make punch, fold, turn your mantra until your dough becomes a smooth, soft, springy ball, as smooth as a baby’s bottom. The entire process should take about 6 minutes.
Makes 2 small (10- to 12-inch) pizzas or 1 large (16-inch) pizza
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, away from drafts. (Alternatively, place in a lightly greased soup pot with a lid.) Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
At this point, the risen dough may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated (or frozen) for later use. (Thaw frozen dough in the fridge and allow chilled dough to warm at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling and shaping.)
Meanwhile, make the filling (details follow).
For two pizzas, cut the ball of dough in half and work with one half at a time. (Alternatively, you can make one 16-inch-diameter pizza. Just make sure you have a pan wide enough.)
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Wipe the work surface clean of dough scraps, then dry thoroughly before rolling out the dough. Dust the work surface with flour. With your hands, gently press the dough into a thick disk. After every few motions, rotate the dough one-quarter turn. With your hands or a rolling pin, roll out the dough from the center, continuing to rotate, being careful not to tear the dough. Roll to your pizza’s desired thinness and shape. At this point, I like to use a tape measure or ruler to help keep track of width. My preference is a 12-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick, but it’s cook’s choice. If rectangular pizza is your thing, go for it.
Dust a pizza pan, stone, or bottom side of a baking sheet with cornmeal, for texture. Fold your dough in half and carefully lift onto the baking surface. Adjust the shape of the dough and begin adding the toppings of your choice (I like to make a dough border by folding the edges and making a thumb indentation all around). A final addition of a sprinkling of salt