Perfect Pizza Dough Food

PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.
• Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH!

Steps:

• In bread maker (My model is Black and Decker) measure first six ingredients in the order listed above into the baking pan.
• Insert baking pan and close lid.
• Select *dough* setting and push start button. There will be a 25 minute preheat delay before mixing begins.
• The complete signal will sound when dough is done.
• Using pot holders or oven mitts remove baking pan to a lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Divide dough into thirds.
• Roll out one piece of dough and place on pan, top with desired pizza toppings OR make into one large pizza.
• Bake in oven preheated at 425°F or 218°C for 15-25 minutes (15 for a fluffier pizza).
• *Note Dough take two hours in the bread machine.

PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Place the sugar, salt, 1 TBSP olive oil, water, 1 cup flour, yeast, and remaining cup of flour into your mixer's work bowl.
• Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball.
• Spray your hook attachment with cooking spray and swap it out with the paddle.
• Knead dough for 15 minutes on medium speed.
• After 15 minutes, tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc.
• Stretch the dough until thin, hold it up to the light, and look to see if a taut membrane has formed (also called a baker's window), you should be able to see a webbing of membranes and nearly be able to see through the dough.
• If the dough tears before it forms, if you aren't able to pull it thin to almost see through before it rips, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a smooth ball on the countertop, sealing it unto itself.
• Place the dough ball in a large stainless or glass bowl and add 2 tsp olive oil, tossing to coat.
• Cover with plastic wrap (doesn't have to be a perfect seal) and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
• Place pizza stone or tile onto the bottom of a cold oven (or if your heating element is on the bottom of your oven, simply place stone onto the lowest position oven rack) and turn the oven on to its highest temperature, 500° or mine goes to 550°.
• Split the dough into 2 equal pieces using a knife or dough scraper.
• Flatten each piece into a disc onto the countertop and then fold each piece into a ball.
• Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface slightly to make it 'sticky', roll the dough on the surface until it tightens into a smooth ball.
• Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• If you won't be immediately using the second ball of dough, spray the inside of a ziplock bag and place the dough ball into the bag.
• Seal and refrigerate for up to 6 days.
• Sprinkle flour or cornmeal onto peel and place dough onto the peel.
• Using your hands, form a lip around the edges of the pizza.
• Stretch the dough into a round disc, holding the center with one hand and gently pulling the edges outward with the other hand, rotating after each stretch, try tossing if you're up for it, but do not use a rolling pin!
• Shake the pizza on the peel to be sure that it will slide onto the pizza stone or tile.
• Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the stretched dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.
• To dress the pizza, brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil.
• Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the pizza.
• Sprinkle the herbs onto the sauce and then any toppings you might want.
• Top with cheese.
• Slide the pizza onto the tile and bake for 7 or 8 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown, checking the underside for doneness before removing.
• Rest finished pizza for 3 minutes before cutting.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk 1 1/3 cups warm water (105 degrees F) and the sugar in a bowl; sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.
• Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir with a wooden spoon to make a rough dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, dusting with more flour if necessary. Form into 2 balls. Brush 2 large bowls with olive oil, add a ball of dough to each and turn to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Roll out and top as desired, or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month.

PERFECT PIZZERIA PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes. ( Make sure it foams. If it doesn't foam, your yeast may be outdated.)
• 2. In bowl of food processor fitted with large blade, combine flour and salt. Pulse 3-4 times. With motor running (on dough setting, if you have one) slowly add yeast mixture, allowing each addition to mix before adding the next. Continue processing until dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. After the ball forms and cleans the sides, process for a few more minutes. If dough seems dry, add warm water 1/2 TB. at a time until a ball forms. If it's too wet (ball of dough doesn't form) add flour 1/2 TB. at a time. You will know you have the right consistency when the dough ball forms, the dough ball cleans the sides of the bowl and the dough is as smooth as a baby's bottom. =) If it's not a really smooth dough ball, return it to the bowl and follow instructions for too wet or too dry above.
• 3. Coat inside of large bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl. Turn once to coat and cover with sprayed saran wrap. Set in warm place and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
• 4. After 1 1/2 hours, your beautiful dough is ready to be placed on a 16 inch pizza pan oiled with 1 TB. of olive oil. (Can sprinkle with yellow corn meal, if you wish.) Press evenly to sides of pan. Don't leave the dough too thick. Add your desired toppings and bake at 400 degrees. No par-baking required. The photo at left is my BLT Pizza... Perfect crust every time!
• 5. *** I like to warm a few TB. of olive oil with a halved garlic clove in the micro until very warm and then brush this on the crust right when it comes out of the oven. Yum!
• 6. ~Just A Few Tips On Yeast Doughs~ ( ...or why it took me so many years of making bad pizza dough. lol) I sure can't speak for everyone, but I made some kind of dumb mistakes (...over and over) when attempting yeast doughs. Let me go over a few so that it won't take you as long to figure it out as me. I am by no means an expert yeast bread maker. There are many outstanding cooks on here who could run circles 'round me. But, I was making some very common, newbie mistakes and it took me awhile to get my act together. So here goes... * Water temp is very important! Too hot or too cold and your dough will not rise and your pizza crust will be hard and chewy. Think very warm bath water. * YES, you do have to proof your yeast. Always. lol Give those little guys a warm bath with a little sugar and you will "wake them up" so that they are ready to get to work on your dough. If it bubbles, your yeast is happy as can be and ready to get to work. No bubbles? Stop right there. Your yeast is either old, or your water temp is off. Buy fresh yeast for the best result. (Throw out the stuff from 3 Christmases ago!) * Use Red Star "Quick-Rise" Yeast. It's wonderful and forgiving if your water temp is too high, another of my newbie mistakes. Not a paid spokesperson and I own no stock in the company (...but I wish I did. Red Star... Give me a call and we'll talk... lol.) * Allow enough time for the dough to rise! If the recipe says rise for 1 hour, it means 1 hour... not 30, 35, 40 minutes. If you don't have time to let it rise, but figure it will be okay anyway, it won't. Save the recipe for another day. * Use the right size pan. If the dough is for a 16 inch pan and you use a 12 inch pan and figure that it's fine... nope. Smaller the pan, thicker the dough. Thick dough equals "bready" crust. Too thin it can be too thin to hold up and may burn. Just like The Three Bears... not too thick and not too thin. Medium is just right. Happy Pizza Making! Peg =)

PERFECT-EVERY-TIME PIZZA DOUGH AND PEPPERONI PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast, olive oil and salt until the salt dissolves. Let this mixture rest for about 10 to 20 minutes, until slightly foamy.
• Transfer the yeast and water mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, making sure to scrape all the yeast into the bowl. Add the flours to the mixing bowl. Attach a dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 4 minutes. The mixture will come together into a ball that pulls away from the sides.
• Transfer the dough ball to a clean area to knead. Flour the station and knead well for about 2 minutes. Cut the ball in half and shape each into round balls. Place each ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let rise in the fridge overnight. This overnight fermentation will give the dough a pleasant sourness. You can do this on the counter in an hour or two, but you won't have the same flavor from a slow rise.
• Make the pizza: Place a pizza steel or stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to its highest setting. Let the oven heat up for at least 45 minutes.
• Dust the surface of a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with flour or cornmeal. Stretch one ball of dough out into a 12-inch (30.5-cm) round and place on the peel or baking sheet. Place half the sauce in the center of the stretched dough and spread it out evenly with a spoon. You want to cover all but 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) of the edge.
• Drizzle the pizza with a tiny bit of olive oil. Rain half the mozzarella over the pizza. Place half the pepperoni on the pizza in an even pattern. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan and half the dried oregano.
• Slide the pizza onto the heated steel or stone in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 2 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Meanwhile, repeat with the remaining dough ball and pizza ingredients to make a second pizza.
• Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the temperature gets to about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), stir in the garlic and the anchovies and sizzle for about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Lower the heat if the sauce starts to boil. Stir in the oregano, salt, pepper and sugar, if using, and cook for an additional minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and use immediately or store in airtight containers or even resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

PERFECT PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast, brown sugar in warm water; allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Stir in salt and olive oil.
• Mix in 3 cups of flour or enough to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead in more flour until dough is barely sticky to the touch.
• Place dough into a oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough rise until doubled, punch down and form into a tight ball. Allow dough to relax for 5 minutes prior to stretching and rolling into desired shapes.
• Brush lightly with olive oil, pierce with a fork all over dough and par bake crust at 425 for 5 minutes.
• Add desired toppings and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until desired level of doness is reached.
• Allow to cool for 4-5 minutes prior to cutting to allow cheese to set.