Pizza from Cooks of Crocus Hill
NOTES
1. Separate recipes for pizza sauce, pizza spices. Pizza sauce can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.
2. When baking, keep the oven closed for the full time!
3. If possible use a pizza screen, pizza stone, or pizza steel to allow heat to bake the bottom of the crust. To remove pizza from oven, place pizza board (a "peel") between the pizza and the screen.
4. Recipe calls for bread flour. Bread flour apparently helps create a crisper edge and softer interior for the pizza crust.
5. Recipe is for one crust. Amounts for two crusts and three crusts are in parentheses. Note that the amounts are not always doubled or tripled. Unless there is an exceptionally large oven/pizza stone/steel, pizzas would have to be baked one after the other instead of simultaneously.
6. If the ambient air is dry, be prepared to use more water (the dough won't be sticky enough). If the ambient air is humid, be prepared to use more flour.
7. Have on hand a pizza peel/paddle (for removing pizzas), one or more pizza screens (for baking pizza), and one or more metal pizza pans (for cutting pizza).
8. If kneading on a wooden cutting board, place a moist wash cloth or a silicone mat underneath it to keep it from slipping.
9. Videos for encouragement! Pizza dough without a mixer. How to shape pizza dough (with cute spelling errors)
10. If using instant/rapid rise yeast, look here for a calculation of how much is needed in place of active dry yeast. NOTE: In 2023, Liz used same amount of rapid rise yeast and it was fine.
11. Liz prepares her pizza crust this way, after the crust is shaped: (1) Drizzle and spread high quality olive oil on the crust. (2) Sprinkle a large pinch or two of salt. (3) Spread a large dollop of pizza sauce on the crust. (4) Add preferred cheeses. (5) Sprinkle a healthy dose of spices, including one ore more pinches of red pepper flakes.
12. For a more generic, fast-and-easy pizza recipe, click here.
INGREDIENTS (consider making pizza sauce a day early)
Crust:
1 pkg (1/4 oz; 7 grams) regular active dry yeast (two: 2 pkgs or 14 grams/ three: 2 pkgs or 14 grams)
1/2 cup warm water (105-110 degrees) (two: 1 cup / three: 1-1/2 cups)
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups bread flour (two: between 2-1/3 to 2-2/3 cups / three: between 3-3/4 to 4 cups), plus extra for shaping the pizza
1 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil (two: 2 tsp / three: 1 Tbl)
1/2 tsp salt (two: 1 tsp / three: 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp sugar (two: 1/2 tsp / three: 1/2 tsp) - no changes to amount for 2 or 3 pizza crusts
INGREDIENTS (consider making pizza sauce a day early)
Crust:
1 pkg (1/4 oz; 7 grams) regular active dry yeast (two: 2 pkgs or 14 grams/ three: 2 pkgs or 14 grams)
1/2 cup warm water (105-110 degrees) (two: 1 cup / three: 1-1/2 cups)
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups bread flour (two: between 2-1/3 to 2-2/3 cups / three: between 3-3/4 to 4 cups), plus extra for shaping the pizza
1 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil (two: 2 tsp / three: 1 Tbl)
1/2 tsp salt (two: 1 tsp / three: 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp sugar (two: 1/2 tsp / three: 1/2 tsp) - no changes to amount for 2 or 3 pizza crusts
(optional) pre-mixed pizza dough flavoring - 1 heaping tsp for each cup of flour (used to be through King Arthur Baking)
Shred 2 parts provolone (1/4" cubed) to 1 part mozzarella (shredded)
Shred 2 parts provolone (1/4" cubed) to 1 part mozzarella (shredded)
(optional) a few pinches of shredded parmesan
PREPARATION of crust
1. In a small bowl, stir and dissolve yeast into the warm water. Set aside for 5-6 min until a slurry and bubbles form on top.
2. While the yeast is activating, in a large bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, and most of the flour,
3. Add all of the oil and activated yeast until the liquid is absorbed, continuing to add flour so the dough is easy to handle:
5. After 20 min or so, gently push the risen dough to deflate it, or use the "pull and turn" or "tuck and turn" method to begin compressing the dough ball to about 1/3 its original size. (See the "pull and turn" sketch below at left). Occasionally push the "stem" that forms with the "pull and turn" method back into the dough ball and repeat a few more times.
15. Unless making a calzone, and if you are using a pizza screen, slide the shaped pizza crust onto it. It's okay not to use a pizza screen and to go onto assembling the pizza itself.
Assembling the pizza: Work quickly.
PREPARATION of crust
1. In a small bowl, stir and dissolve yeast into the warm water. Set aside for 5-6 min until a slurry and bubbles form on top.
2. While the yeast is activating, in a large bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, and most of the flour,
3. Add all of the oil and activated yeast until the liquid is absorbed, continuing to add flour so the dough is easy to handle:
- Turn the dough over and over in the bowl (mixing and using hands) to pick up the flour and combine it into the dough ball.
- The dough should feel moist but not sticky before kneading.
- Chef-instructor Antonio's suggestion is to knead with one hand overlapping the other, pressing down firmly with the heel of the hand, then rotating the dough about 90 degrees, folding, and repeating. (See sketch at right)
- Be sure to turn the dough onto all sides while kneading to work the flour in thoroughly.
- This process is different from the pull-and-tuck or pull-and-turn process.
5. After 20 min or so, gently push the risen dough to deflate it, or use the "pull and turn" or "tuck and turn" method to begin compressing the dough ball to about 1/3 its original size. (See the "pull and turn" sketch below at left). Occasionally push the "stem" that forms with the "pull and turn" method back into the dough ball and repeat a few more times.
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Sketch of pull-and-turn method:
ball rests in hand while pads of thumb
and fingers pull up and turns ball
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- The skin should be smooth, without tears or "ripples" of flour. It may take time to integrate bits of flour that emerge originally in this process.
- There should be no hole or visible seam at the bottom of the ball. If there is, it will appear as a hole when it's time to shape the pizza dough into a crust. (Holes can be repaired at the time.)
6. If you are making two or three pizzas, use the bench scraper to cut the dough into smaller dough balls.
7. Pour about a Tbl of olive oil on a medium plate for each ball to grease the compressed dough ball(s) (in French, a boule).
7. Pour about a Tbl of olive oil on a medium plate for each ball to grease the compressed dough ball(s) (in French, a boule).
8. Wrap each greased ball-and-plate in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and no longer than 48 hours. The dough should double in size. (NOTE: In class it was refrigerated for 30 min)
9. While crust is getting chilled, prepare toppings (cut/shred cheeses; fresh basil; asparagus; pepperoni; etc.)
9. While crust is getting chilled, prepare toppings (cut/shred cheeses; fresh basil; asparagus; pepperoni; etc.)
Shaping the crust
10. Thirty minutes before the end of refrigeration of the dough, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees, with the rack either in the middle or one level higher.
11. Put some flour on the counter; place the dough ball on it; sprinkle top with flour. The dough should move freely about.
12. Using pads of fingers, press dough from center downward in almost concentric circles to spread it to about 10-12" in diameter. Think "circle."
13. Then use one hand to shape the outer ridge of the crust while using the other hand to widen the circle by pressing with the heel and/or finger pads to level out any bumps and to spin it with short little bursts.
14. After the crust is about 2/3 the size you want it, sprinkle a small bit of flour on a pizza peel or large unrimmed baking sheet and continue shaping until it is 12-14" in diameter. NOTE: If any holes appear while forming the crust, carefully pinch the hole closed.
11. Put some flour on the counter; place the dough ball on it; sprinkle top with flour. The dough should move freely about.
12. Using pads of fingers, press dough from center downward in almost concentric circles to spread it to about 10-12" in diameter. Think "circle."
13. Then use one hand to shape the outer ridge of the crust while using the other hand to widen the circle by pressing with the heel and/or finger pads to level out any bumps and to spin it with short little bursts.
14. After the crust is about 2/3 the size you want it, sprinkle a small bit of flour on a pizza peel or large unrimmed baking sheet and continue shaping until it is 12-14" in diameter. NOTE: If any holes appear while forming the crust, carefully pinch the hole closed.
15. Unless making a calzone, and if you are using a pizza screen, slide the shaped pizza crust onto it. It's okay not to use a pizza screen and to go onto assembling the pizza itself.
Assembling the pizza: Work quickly.
16. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the pizza. If there's too much sauce, the crust will be soggy. NOTE: When adding toppings, keep the sauce visible.
17. With wet toppings like fresh mozzarella, use less because the crust will absorb the moisture and too much moisture will make the crust soggy.
18. Place pizza and pizza screen directly on oven rack, pizza steel, or pizza stone and bake at 500 degrees for about 5 minutes. NOTE: You may want to reset the oven to 525-550 to help it get back to temperature, which will help the underside of the crust brown up. Avoid opening the oven door once the pizza goes in!
19. When cheese is bubbling and golden brown, remove pizza using pizza peel and slide pizza onto pizza pan (or onto counter, if appropriate) for cutting.
17. With wet toppings like fresh mozzarella, use less because the crust will absorb the moisture and too much moisture will make the crust soggy.
18. Place pizza and pizza screen directly on oven rack, pizza steel, or pizza stone and bake at 500 degrees for about 5 minutes. NOTE: You may want to reset the oven to 525-550 to help it get back to temperature, which will help the underside of the crust brown up. Avoid opening the oven door once the pizza goes in!
19. When cheese is bubbling and golden brown, remove pizza using pizza peel and slide pizza onto pizza pan (or onto counter, if appropriate) for cutting.
- NOTE: By removing pizza from the pizza screen, either directly from oven or after screen is placed on counter, you reduce risk of mistakenly grabbing the scorching hot pizza screen when ready to cut the pizza.
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