New York White Pizza Food

NEW YORK-STYLE PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in small bowl; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Sprinkle yeast on top; stir to combine.
• Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until foamy.
• Combine flour and salt in medium bowl.
• Stir in yeast mixture.
• Mix until mixture forms soft dough.
• Remove dough to lightly floured surface.
• Knead 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.
• Place dough in medium bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray.
• Turn dough in bowl so top is coated with cooking spray; cover with towel or plastic wrap.
• Let rise in warm place 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down; place on lightly floured surface and knead about 2 minutes or until smooth.
• Pat dough into flat disc about 7 inches in diameter.
• Let rest 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pat and gently stretch dough from edges until dough seems to not stretch anymore.
• Let rest 2 to 3 minutes.
• Continue patting and stretching until dough is 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
• Spray 12- to 14-inch pizza pan with nonstick spray; sprinkle with commeal, if desired.
• Press dough into pan.
• Preheat oven to 5OOF.
• Follow directions for individual recipes, baking pizza on bottom rack of oven.

GREEN AND WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone or tiles on the middle rack of your oven and turn heat to its highest setting. Let it heat for at least an hour.
• Break the mozzarella into small pieces and place them gently on the stretched dough. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt and scatter the Parmesan over the top.
• Using a pizza peel, pick up the pie and slide it onto the heated stone or tiles in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, approximately 4 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the arugula in a large bowl and dress it lightly with a splash of the olive oil, the lemon juice and a further pinch of salt, or to taste.
• When the pizza is done, put the dressed greens on top of the pie and serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and, if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Place the rolled out pizza dough onto a pizza peel or the back of a cookie sheet, dusted with cornmeal and using flour, as necessary, to help facilitate moving the dough. Sprinkle the pizza with the cheeses, oregano, salt and pepper. Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes, use the peel to turn the pizza around and back an additional, 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the pizza is golden. Sprinkle the cheese and olive oil over the pizza and serve immediately.
• In a large bowl combine yeast with water and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, olive oil, and half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly combine. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands, working to incorporate the flour little by little. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour, as necessary, to form a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Divide dough into 2 portions for 2 (12 to 14-inch) pizzas) and form into balls. (See note below for calzones.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer dough to a pizza peel (sprinkle with cornmeal to help facilitate moving dough) and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings and the thickness of the crust). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.
• Yield: 2 (12 or 14-inch) pizzas or 4 calzones, serving 4 to 6

NEW YORK STYLE THIN CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. If you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Divide the dough in half and roll into a 12-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick.
• Dust pizza peel or baking sheet with cornmeal. Place rolled out dough on peel. Brush pizza dough with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edges. Sprinkle 1/4 cup basil leaves on top of sauce and then top with 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Finally, top with 1/2-pound mozzarella slices. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and the edges are golden brown. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 2 pizzas.
• In an electric mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, water and lard together to make a paste. Add the flour and salt and mix, using a dough hook, until the dough comes away from the sides and crawls up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide dough in half. Roll the dough into balls, cover, and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is ready to be shaped.

NEW YORK WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Position an oven rack on the second-lowest level in the oven and place a baking stone on the rack; position another rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat oven to 500°.
• Coat a 12-inch pizza screen or perforated pizza pan with cooking spray.
• Lay the dough on the prepared screen or pan and gently stretch dough into a 12-inch round.
• Top the pizza: brush the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil; spread the ricotta evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border.
• Sprinkle the garlic over the top; sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
• Crush the oregano between your fingers and sprinkle evenly over the cheese and crust.
• Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top.
• Place the pizza in the oven on the upper rack; bake about 8 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden brown.
• Using a pizza peel, lift the pizza off the screen/pan and place the crust directly on the baking stone; remove the screen/pan from the oven.
• Continue baking the pizza until the bottom of the crust is golden, about 3 minutes.
• Using the peel, remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.
• Slice pizza into wedges and serve immediately.