It calls for a mixture of all-purpose flour and the finely milled Italian flour graded as “00” — available at many more markets than you would think, and always online. Combined with salt and a mixture of water, olive oil and yeast, it rises into soft pillows of dough that take well to gentle handling.
(For authentic pizza sauce, simply whiz together some drained canned tomatoes with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Another tip: for the dough, use beer instead of water. Baking Pine Nuts
300 degrees with a warm pan in as short as 5 minutes. Lower Rack cooks twice as fast Back of oven is hotter. |
It rewards close attention to weight rather than volume in the matter of the ingredients, and asks for a mixture of finely ground Italian pizza flour (designated “00” on the bags and available in some supermarkets, many specialty groceries and always online) and regular all-purpose flour. As ever with breads, rise time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen and refrigerator. TOTAL TIME 20 minutes plus at least 3 hours' rising \
Ingredients
1.In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt. 2.In a small mixing bowl, stir together 200 grams (about 1 cup) lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. 3.Knead rested dough for 3 minutes. Cut into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a heavily floured surface, cover with dampened cloth, and let rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (If you refrigerate the dough, remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.) 4.To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake. |