Spelt Crust Pizza With Fennel Prosciutto And Apples Food

SPELT CRUST PIZZA WITH FENNEL, PROSCIUTTO, AND APPLES

Steps:

• 1 First, make the dough. To prepare the dough by hand: Whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, milk, linseed oil, and the egg and beat with a fork until smooth. Pour the ricotta mixture into the well. Combine with a dough whisk or a fork, stirring from the center and gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until a fairly moist dough comes together. To prepare the dough by food processor: Place the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl and process for about 10 seconds. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, milk, linseed oil, and the egg and beat with a fork until smooth. Pour the ricotta mixture across the top of the flour mixture and pulse, in 1-second intervals, just until a ball forms, 5 to 10 pulses. The dough will be fairly moist.
• 2 Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface. Lightly flour your hands and briefly knead 5 to 7 turns to get a smooth yet slightly tacky dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to allow the bran in the flour to soften.
• 3 Meanwhile, place a baking stone on a rack on the bottom shelf and preheat oven to 425°F. Liberally sprinkle a pizza peel with coarse cornmeal. Finely chop the white and light green parts of the green onions until you have 1/2 cup. Combine them with the sour cream, capers, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a small bowl. Finely chop the dark green parts as well (about 1/4 cup) and set aside for garnish.
• 4 Unwrap the dough, transfer to a lightly floured work surface and cut into 2 pieces. Keep 1 piece covered with plastic wrap. Lightly flour your hands and briefly knead the other until smooth, 7 to 10 turns. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into an elongated pizza, 11 by 8 inches and about 1/4 inch thick. Do this in stages, occasionally turning the dough over and rolling it out further, lightly flouring your work surface and the rolling pin each time. Place the dough on the pizza peel. Spread half of the sour cream topping across, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover with half of the apple slices, top with half of the fennel slices, and sprinkle with half of the prosciutto. Brush the border with oil.
• 5 Slide the dough onto the baking stone and bake until the fennel just starts to brown at the edges and the rim turns golden brown and starts to crisp - it should yield when pressed with a finger - about 15 minutes. Use a large spatula to lift the edges of the pizza so you can slide the peel underneath; carefully transfer the pizza to a wooden board. Sprinkle with half of the reserved green onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cut with a sharp knife and serve at once. Repeat with the second pizza.

SPELT PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk 1 cup flour, water, honey, and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and mixture is bubbly, about 20 minutes.
• Stir remaining flour, olive oil, and salt into yeast mixture. Beat mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, adding more flour as necessary, until a soft and tacky dough forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Place dough in mixing bowl with a little olive oil, cover bowl with a plate, and let rise until doubled in size, 90 minutes.
• Punch dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 balls; cover each and let rest until dough rises slightly, 30 to 45 minutes. Roll into desired shapes and thickness.

SPELT PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix with large spoon.
• Add oil, rosemary and salt, mixing well.
• Mix in the rest of the flour and turn out onto a well-floured surface; knead for 5 minutes. Add more flour until dough is no longer sticky.
• Rinse and dry the bowl and lubricate with olive oil. Return dough to bowl, turning once to cover in oil.
• Cover dough with clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place in the kitchen.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and divide dough into two or three pieces, depending upon pan size and crust preference; on flat, floured surface roll out each piece to approximate pan size.
• Sprinkle each pan with a light dusting of cornmeal and lay dough in the pans. Oil your fingertips and press pizza dough into each pan.
• Lightly precook the crust before adding sauce and toppings. You want the dough to rise enough in the oven to form bubbles but remove before it begins to brown, less than 5 minutes.
• Add your own toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on your own toppings.