Saturday, March 23, 2013

Pizza Crust

I've been looking around for a fantastic pizza crust recipe, and America's Test Kitchen delivered. It says it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to rise, but I often warm my oven to 200 degrees, turn it off, then put the dough in there.  Rises pretty fast - half an hour or so. I use this to make pizzas, obviously, but also to make stromboli (kids call it pizza rolls). Will write about that in a separate post. Can make a double batch in the Kitchen Aid, which is enough for 4 pizzas or strombolis (regular is, of course, 2).

1/2 cup warm water
1 envelope (abt 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups bread flour (I use whole wheat), plus more for dusting the work surface and hands
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room-temperature water and olive oil and stir to combine.
2. Place flour and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Briefly combine the dry ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients and continue to mix at low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proceed with the recipe.
3. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate; it is now ready to use in recipes.

You will ask the baking times and temperatures. It depends on the recipe. If you don't know, bake at 425 until it's done. Yum.

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