|
|
Pizza tricks
|
Learn how to make the best pizza
Sicilian Thick Crust
(makes a 17 1/2" X 11 1/2" Pizza)
4 cups All−Purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4 tbsps oil
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of warm water (105F)
Mix yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let rise
for 15 minutes. Stir to deflate.
Mix 2 cups of remaining flour with salt, 1 cup cool tap water, and oil. Add yeast mixture.
Mix in remaining flour.
Knead 15 minutes on a floured surface (10 minutes in a machine) until smooth. Place
dough in bowl dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled (1 to
2 hours). Punch dough down and put in ziploc bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 500F.
Remove dough from refrigerator when ready to shape into crust. Punch down dough
thoroughly and roll out dough on a floured surface. Lightly oil (olive) a 17 1/2" X 11 1/2"
X 3/4" pan. Place dough in pan and push to stretch evenly leaving a lip up against sides
of pan.
Let rest for 10−15 minutes (while you prepare toppings). Stretch out dough again (it will
have receded) and place desired toppings.
Cook in center of oven until crust is golden brown.
Whole Wheat Dough
1 Tbls. sugar or honey
Whole Wheat Dough
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees)
1 pack (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
1 1/4 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast. Stir gently until disssolved (about 1 minute). Let
stand until the yeast foams slightly (about 5 minutes) to insure that the yeast is effective.
Combine 3 cups of the flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and oil if
you are using it. Begin kneading the mixture, gradually adding enough of the remaining
1/4 cup flour so that the dough is no longer sticky.
Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic (another 10−15 minutes by
hand). Shape dough into a ball and put in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it with
the oil.
Let rise until doubled in bulk (45 minutes to 1−1/2 hours, depending on the yeast and the
temperature). Punch down the dough and shape into 1 or 2 pieces. The entire recipe will
make two 12 inch pizzas. Shape the dough either by hand or with a rolling pin, stretching
out as necessary to achieve a thin dough. For a lighter crust, let the dough sit for a half
hour after shaping before constructing pizza and baking.
Zucchini Dough
Zucchini Dough
3 1/2 cups Zucchini; coarsely grated
Salt
1/3 cup Flour
3 Eggs; lightly beaten
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese; grated
2 tbls. Fresh basil; (2 to 3 leaves) or 1 tsp. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Place zucchini in bowl and lightly salt. Let sit for 15 minutes and squeeze out all the
water that is rendered. Roll in a towel and twist again. This is to remove all possible
water. Mix with rest of ingredients in a bowl. Spread on a well−oiled baking pan and
bake in a 350F oven until top is dry and lightly browned (20 minutes).
Remove from oven, add desired sauce, cheese, and toppings. Return to oven and bake at
350F until done, about another 20 minutes.
|
|
|
