Categories: Pasta- Pasta Sauce- Pizza- Flatbread
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup bread flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 to 3 Tbsp. medium or coarse cornmeal
Directions
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Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal S-blade. Turn the machine on. Add the oil through the feed tube, then add the water slowly as the dough comes together. Add more water if needed to form a pliable, smooth dough. Use as much water as you can and still keep the dough pliable without sticking to your hands. Continue processing for 2 minutes.
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The dough should form a ball and ride around in the processor. If it becomes tooo wet, add flour 1 Tbsp. at a time until it’s moist to the touch but can be handled easily. When the dough is done, it should be soft, slightly sticky and elastic. It may also be hot from the machine, so be careful.
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Lay a piece of plastic wrap about 12 inches long on a clean work surface. Use your hands to press the dough into a rectangle on the plastic, about 8 by 6 inches wide. Press you fingers into the top of the dough all over, making indentations as though it were focaccia. Fold the left third of the dough over and repeat the finger indentations. Fold the right third over (as you would a letter) and make indentations again. Cover the folded dough with plastic wrap; let rise 20 minutes.
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After 20 minutes, cut the dough in half, and form each into a neat ball. ( Each ball will make a 10 to 12 inch round pizza.) You can use the dough right away, but you’ll find the texture of the crust will be a bit breadier and the flavor less complex. For best results, freeze the dough, which retards the yeast’s activity, allowing the flavor to continue to develop as the dough thaws, without letting it rise and become bready. Or refrigerate the dough, up to 1 day. But if it is very warm or humid, the dough can expand relatively dramatically, even in the refrigerator.
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To freeze and thaw: Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap; freeze Immediately after wrapping. The morning of the day you plan to make pizza, remove dough from freezer and put it into the refrigerator to slowly thaw (6 to 7 hours.) Twenty to thirty minutes before making the pizza, pull the dough out of the pizza, pull the dough out of the refrigerator, and let it come to room temperature while you prep toppings.
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working with 1 dough ball at a time and working with your hands (not on a flat surface), gently begin to stretch the dough into a circular shape, pressing your fist into the center of the dough and pulling at the edges with your other hand. With both hands, stretch the dough, being careful not to tear it.
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Working in a circular motion, pull the thicker edges of the dough outward, letting gravity help you. Co9ntinue to stretch the dough until it’s relatively even in thickness (the edges will be thicker, and that is OK) and you have the size you want.
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Heat oven to 550 degrees. If using a stone and a peel: Put the stone in the oven to heat. Dust the peel generously with the cornmeal Carefully lay shaped dough on the peel. If using a baking sheet; Brush a large baking sheet with olive oil, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the shaped dough onto the pan. Top the pizza as desired, and slide it off the peel and onto the heated stone. or slide the baking sheet into the oven. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling, 6 to 10 minutes.
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makes enough dough for 1 (10-12 inch) pizzas or calzones.