FOOD & DRINK | JAN 18, 2014, 02:11 AM GMT+07:00
The Secret to Great Pizza At Home
Whatever toppings you choose, a pizza's appeal begins with its crust. Use these illustrated step-by-step instructions to make your dough, then choose from nine different recipes for sauces and toppings
SOME PEOPLE INSIST on pizza drenched in tomato sauce, heaped with cured meats and oozing cheese. Others crave minimalist pies topped with nothing but garlic, olive oil and rosemary, or thinly sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. One way to please everyone at the table is to custom-make pizza at home: Prepare a selection of toppings and take orders.
For me, though, a pizza ultimately succeeds or fails on the quality of its crust. The kind of flour you choose makes a big difference. In the recipe at right, I opt for half whole-wheat flour, half all-purpose or bread flour. The whole wheat makes for a flavorful crust, and provides all the health benefits associated with eating whole grains—though a crust made solely with this kind of flour would be tough and dry. All-purpose flour has a higher protein content, and bread flour an even higher one; adding either to the mix makes a smoother dough and a lighter, more tender crust. You can also make this recipe using entirely all-purpose or bread flour, or a combo of the two. Experiment until you achieve the texture and taste you crave.
The part many novice pizzaiolos find daunting is handling the pizza dough. All too often, the circle springs back like a rubber band and becomes impossible to roll out long before it reaches the diameter called for in the recipe. I recall becoming similarly frustrated myself—and jettisoning the recalcitrant dough in favor of English muffin halves—when first trying to make pizza. Little did I realize, all that stiff dough needed was a short time-out in the refrigerator. Kneading and rolling develop the gluten in the flour and cause the crust to recoil rather than enlarge; chilling relaxes the tightly wound gluten. A five-to-10-minute rest results in compliant dough that stretches effortlessly to its requisite size.
Gail Monaghan
The Ingredients
The Steps
1. Add flours, honey, yeast and salt to the bowl of a food processor or electric mixer and process to combine. Add water and 2 tablespoons oil and continue to process until dough forms a ball. If dough is sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If dough is too dry, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
2. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a smooth, elastic ball, about 5 minutes. (Kneading can also be done using an electric mixer with the bread hook in place.)
3. Form dough into a smooth ball and place in a large bowl greased with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Cut risen dough in half. Knead each half briefly and then shape into a ball. Place the two balls on a lightly floured surface and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rest 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. If refrigerated, let dough come to room temperature before continuing.
4. Use a rolling pin to roll out and your hands to stretch each ball into a circle 12-14 inches in diameter. If dough becomes too elastic, place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to relax before continuing.
Pizza Margherita
Total Time: 20-25 minutes Makes: one 12-14-inch pizza
Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place rack as low as possible in oven. Lightly oil a 14-16-inch pizza pan or very large baking sheet and lay uncooked crust on top, rolling in edges to form a rim if desired. // In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat, add 2 large cloves garlic, minced , and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 ½ cups canned whole peeled tomatoes , crushing them as they go into the pan, then packed ¼ cup torn basil leaves . Boil, stirring frequently, until a thick sauce forms, 5-7 minutes. // Spread a layer of sauce over rolled-out crust, top with packed ¼ cup torn basil leaves and 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced . (You may have leftover sauce.) Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil . Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon oregano and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper . If you like, top with 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan and/or red pepper flakes to taste. // Bake 10 minutes. Use a pizza peel or a large spatula and an oven mitt to transfer pizza from pan directly onto oven rack. Bake 2 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and crust is golden and done to your liking.
Variations
1. Onion, Garlic and Rosemary: Combine 2 large red onions sliced into very thin rings, 4 very thinly sliced garlic cloves, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary leaves , and let marinate at least 1 hour. Top pizza and bake.
2. Vegetarian: Brush dough with olive oil or pesto , then top with slightly overlapping thin slices of eggplant, onion, tomato, mushrooms and mozzarella . Brush lightly with more oil or pesto. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper . Bake.
3. Marinara: Brush dough lightly with tomato sauce , then sprinkle with rinsed and dried capers, halved and pitted black olives , and chopped anchovies . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper . Bake.
4. Quattro Stagioni: Brush dough lightly with tomato sauce . Top with strips of prosciutto, sliced mushrooms tossed in olive oil, sliced marinated artichokes and halved and pitted black olives . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper . Bake.
5. Mixed Peppers and Onions: Lightly sauté 4 bell peppers, sliced —mixed colors if possible—along with 2 sliced onions and 2 cloves sliced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper . Stir in mixed chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme and/or chives) if desired. Spread over pizza dough. Bake. When hot from the oven, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan .
6. Fresh Sausage and Peppers: Follow instructions for Mixed Peppers and Onions, and dot with ¼ pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, crumbled , before baking.
7. Shellfish and Scallions: Cut 6 scallions into 1-inch lengths and sauté in olive oil 1 minute. Add ¾ pound mixed shellfish —shelled shrimp, sliced scallops, clams and mussels steamed open and removed from shells. Stir in 1-2 cloves chopped garlic , season with salt and freshly ground black pepper , and remove from heat. Brush dough with olive oil and add a layer of chopped fresh tomatoes . Top with shellfish mixture and bake. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley .
8. Mushrooms, Pancetta and Garlic: Cut 5 ounces pancetta into ¼-inch lardons and cook over medium heat until soft. Transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to pan and sauté ¾ pounds sliced mixed mushrooms with 2 cloves sliced garlic, chopped thyme and chopped parsley . Add cooked pancetta and top pizza. Bake. When done, garnish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino .
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