http://kaco1.tumblr.com/post/256148063/pizza-dough
Mmm… Chewy crust, hot bubbly cheese, fresh toppings..the perfect pizza from your oven!
Hungry yet? Making your own pizzas is lots of fun, and very tasty! It is also a great activity to do with your new friends at school or with family/kids in particular; everyone can make their own pizza!
I haven’t mentioned this on my blog yet, but I love cooking. I like to cook and bake a wide variety of foods. Overall, I’ve found my skills in one area of cooking transfer well as I learn to cook new things, but pizza dough has been a rough point. I’ve had trouble getting the dough to raise and getting stretchy dough. Before, the dough was tough after baking, and the dough would break when pulled, rather than stretch.
My breakthrough was had while watching Ina Garten’s show Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. The method I was doing, the salt was killing the yeast! So, I have revived my recipe with my new found knowledge!
Here is my recipe for Pizza Dough!
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (not fast-acting)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (~110 deg F)
3-4 cups flour (recommend half semolina, half all-purpose for a true pizza experience)
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
Optional: Other add-ins such as herbs or garlic
- In a large stand mixer bowl or regular bowl, combine yeast and water.
- Stir to dissolve yeast in water.
- Let mixture sit undisturbed for five minutes.
- Check yeast mixture to confirm yeast is active. Appearance should be milky and possibly foamy, and should smell like yeast and fermentation.*
- Stir yeast mixture and add half of the flour. Now, the mixture should be smooth and silky, not-quite-liquid and not-quite-dough. The key to the recipe is to do this step, and to not add additional ingredients before.
- Now is the time to add additional ingredients. Mix together olive oil and salt in a separate container. Add in any other herbs or seasonings for the dough. Try roasted garlic for a flavored crust, rosemary for an herb bread, more olive oil for a rich foccacia, or a few tablespoons of honey for a bit sweeter bread. Add this mixture to the dough mixture, and incorporate well.
- Add remaining flour until dough becomes fully incorporated and forms a ball; just enough flour so its not sticky.
- Pick up ball and turn under so the top is smooth.
- Let rise for one to one and a half hours in a warm place until approximately doubled in volume. Try turning on the light in the oven or microwave, and putting the bowl inside. The light alone, with the oven off, provides just a little warmth to encourage growth.
- Take dough out of bowl and prepare for use. Incorporate flour as needed on hands and cooking surfaces to prevent sticking. Stretch to make pizza or shape into breadsticks, foccacia, calzones, or other bread options. Dough works well for a medium to thick crust.
- Cooking options
- For pan pizza: coat a dark pan with high sides liberally with olive oil. place stretched dough in pan and top as desired. Cook at 425 deg F.
- For cooking on a pizza stone: Preheat stone in oven at 500 deg F. Make pizza on a cookie sheet or other tray with no edge. (Use an upside-down tray if a flat cookie sheet not available) Liberally apply cornmeal or flour to the surface under the dough so the pizza moves freely on the pan. Top your pizza on the cookie sheet, and then transfer to the hot pizza stone in the oven.
- Bake until crust is baked (feels hollow) and toppings are hot and cheese is melted and bubbly. Broil if needed to brown the cheese slightly
*If you are not sure, add a teaspoon of honey or sugar, wait five more minutes and check again. The honey or sugar will act for a food for the yeast and encourage growth, but is not needed for the recipe.
Enjoy!
p.s. Please give me feedback if you try the recipe :)
http://kaco1.tumblr.com/post/256148063/pizza-dough
Kacey Fetcho-Phillips
