New Haven Style Clam Pizza Food

NEW HAVEN CLAM PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt and oil; beat until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 15-20 minutes., Punch dough down. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 14-in. pizza pan; build up edges slightly. Prick dough several times with a fork., Bake at 425° for 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over crust in order listed. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges.

NEW HAVEN-STYLE CLAM PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl dissolve sugar in 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• 2. In a large bowl stir together 2 cups flour, remaining 3/4 cup water, salt, and yeast mixture.
• 3. Transfer dough to a floured surface and clean and oil large bowl.
• 4. Knead dough vigorously, incorporating as much of remaining 3/4 cup flour as necessary to create a silky dough, a full 15 minutes.
• 5. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, turning to coat slightly with oil, and cover bowl with 2 tight layers of plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
• 6. While dough is rising, in a small bowl combine garlic and oil and chill, covered.
• 7. Punch down dough and flatten on a lightly floured surface. Pounding with heel of hand and lifting, stretch dough carefully and work into a round about 15 inches in diameter (or into 2 smaller rounds).
• 8. Put pizza stone on bottom shelf of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.
• 9. Sprinkle baker's peel with cornmeal and slide dough onto it. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest, covered with the kitchen towel, about 15 minutes. While dough is resting, let garlic oil come to room temperature.
• 10. Brush dough evenly with garlic oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border untouched. Arrange clams with a dash of reserved liquor over garlic oil and sprinkle with oregano and Romano.
• 11. Shake and slide pizza off baker's peel onto pizza stone in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 450°F. and bake pizza 15 minutes, or until crust is medium brown.
• 12. Serve pizza immediately with plenty of napkins. Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as an hors d'oeuvre.