This makes one 14- to 16-inch pizza; serving 4 to 6.
Thin, crisp crusts like this one are the hallmarks of much Italy's pizza. Another vital element is not overloading the pie with toppings - less is definitely more on pizza. This dough goes together quickly and can be used after a single rising. If time is very short, blend, knead, rest for 30 minutes, and roll out. No baking stone is needed, since you slip the crust out of the pan and crisp it directly on the bottom rack of the oven during the last two minutes of baking. Use stone-ground, organic flour if possible.
In a medium mixing bowl or food processor, blend yeast, water and teaspoon of flour. Foam should form on surface in about 8 minutes (if not, yeast is past its prime; find fresher). Then blend in rest of flour and salt, forming a smooth, quite soft, slightly sticky dough. Blend in food processor no more than 30 seconds (then knead 5 minutes by hand); in mixer blend for about 5 minutes; by hand stir to blend and knead 5 minutes.
Place in a large oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a cool place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). If not ready to bake, keep dough covered and hold up to 8 hours. About 20 minutes before baking, punch down, knead a minute or two and then form into a ball, cover.
To make pizza, lightly oil a 14- to 16-inch pizza pan. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F, setting rack as low as possible in oven. Roll out dough as thin as possible to about a 16-inch round (no more than 1/16-inch thick). Spread over pan, rolling in edges to form a rim. Let rest 10 minutes.
Top as desired or suggested below and bake 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula and thick oven mitt, slip the pizza off the pan directly onto the oven rack by pulling out rack, grasping pizza pan firmly with protected hand, and using spatula or pancake turner to slip pie off pan and onto rack. Slide rack back in place and bake 2 minutes. Slip pie back onto pan, remove from oven. Cut and serve.
Margherita Topping...1/2 medium onion, minced...1 1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes...2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil...Freshly-ground black pepper...
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Classic Pizza Margherita (Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Pizza)
This makes one 14- to 16-inch pizza; serving 4 to 6.
Thin, crisp crusts like this one are the hallmarks of much Italy's pizza. Another vital element is not overloading the pie with toppings - less is definitely more on pizza. This dough goes together quickly and can be used after a single rising. If time is very short, blend, knead, rest for 30 minutes, and roll out. No baking stone is needed, since you slip the crust out of the pan and crisp it directly on the bottom rack of the oven during the last two minutes of baking. Use stone-ground, organic flour if possible.
Neapolitan Style Pizza Crust...1/2 teaspoon salt...Additional flour
In a medium mixing bowl or food processor, blend yeast, water and teaspoon of flour. Foam should form on surface in about 8 minutes (if not, yeast is past its prime; find fresher). Then blend in rest of flour and salt, forming a smooth, quite soft, slightly sticky dough. Blend in food processor no more than 30 seconds (then knead 5 minutes by hand); in mixer blend for about 5 minutes; by hand stir to blend and knead 5 minutes.
Place in a large oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a cool place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). If not ready to bake, keep dough covered and hold up to 8 hours. About 20 minutes before baking, punch down, knead a minute or two and then form into a ball, cover.
To make pizza, lightly oil a 14- to 16-inch pizza pan. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F, setting rack as low as possible in oven. Roll out dough as thin as possible to about a 16-inch round (no more than 1/16-inch thick). Spread over pan, rolling in edges to form a rim. Let rest 10 minutes.
Top as desired or suggested below and bake 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula and thick oven mitt, slip the pizza off the pan directly onto the oven rack by pulling out rack, grasping pizza pan firmly with protected hand, and using spatula or pancake turner to slip pie off pan and onto rack. Slide rack back in place and bake 2 minutes. Slip pie back onto pan, remove from oven. Cut and serve.
Margherita Topping...1/2 medium onion, minced...1 1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes...2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil...Freshly-ground black pepper...
classic recipes, pizza recipes, margherita recipes, (tomato recipes, mozzarella recipes, basil recipes, pizza) recipes, savory recipes
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