Pizza ‘don’t buy it’ Dough

Did we talk about Pizza yet? No? Good…

My American-Italian husband adores his pizza. Me, meh, I could take it or leave it, but then I’m Hawaiian-Portuguese-Swedish-Irish-English-French-Danish-Native American-Scots, and, shot, one more I can’t remember, oh well.

MANY moons ago, when my DH and I first started dating, he wanted homemade pizza like his grandmother would make.  Yeah right buddy, like that’s gonna’ happen here in Hawaii. Well, wouldn’t ya’ know, in the newspaper that Sunday there was a two page article about making pizza. It didn’t look so hard. That was in the days before I had a KitchenAid® stand mixer or a food processor. Have you ever tried to knead a triple batch of pizza dough by hand? OY!

So here we are years later, and I’ve perfected my pizza to an art.

Sometimes I think that I could make a penny cry, “Uncle” .  I can’t see paying the price in the market for horrible dough, gosh, make your own, it taste so much better, trust me! The thing that you should trust me on is that in Italy they leave the dough to rest for at least 24 hours. This step makes for a better chew, taste, texture, smell, well it’s just better.

1 C. Warm Water (no warmer than 110º)

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 tsp. granulated Sugar

2 1/2 C. Bread Flour

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. Table Salt

In cup, measure out the warm water and add the yeast and sugar, stir and set aside for at least 10 minutes. The yeast will proof or puff up in the cup about 1-2 inches with foam (if it doesn’t toss it and start again).

In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 cups of the flour along with the salt, turn on the machine; add the oil through the feed tube and allow to combine for a few seconds. Give the yeast slurry a mix and pour it in a steady stream into the machine; STOP! Turn off the machine. The mixture should be sloppy and lumpy, that’s okay. Now add in maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of the remaining flour and pulse the machine to incorporate. The mixture should start to come away from the sides of the bowl of the food processor and be slightly tacky. Depending upon how humid it is where you live, you may not need all of that remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Turn the machine back on and let it run for 30 seconds, hold on to it, the machine while try to run across the counter! How does it feel now? Firm, smooth but still just a little sticky? GREAT! You’ve got it. Now turn the dough out in to a large bowl that has already been coated with Olive oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 4-6 hours. Place into a zip top bag and refrigerate for at least a day, that’s right.

This dough will make two medium-sized pizzas.

I normally make a triple batch; I have the biggest stainless steel bowl you’ve ever seen. I will divide it all up and put them into the deep freeze.

When you’re ready to make pizza, put the refrigerated dough out on the kitchen counter, with the zip top open, for about 6 hours and frozen for the whole day.

Mangiamo/let’s grind!

Tagged: Breakfast, Dinner, Food, Handmade, Italian Food, Lunch, Pescatarian Dishes, Pizza, Really Good Food, Recipes, Scratch cooking, Vegetarian Dishes