What a fool I've been. Using the stand mixer makes the whole process much easier, and clean-up is the same. I doubt I'll be making dough by hand any timde soon.
These were done on a 23" baking sheet: the funny shape is so I can do 3 at a time. (Since I posted this, I was told by a chef friend that these are misshapen. Now I make one big pizza to fit the biggest baking pan I have.)
I also get much more consistent results since I started weighing the flour as opposed to measuring it by volume.
I usually cook pizza on a baking stone for best results, but if I'm in a hurry and want to make a lot of pizza, I cook it on a lightly oiled baking sheet dusted with corn meal.
To make pizza, you'll need:
- pizza dough: buy it or use your favorite. Here's mine:
- 750 grams bread flour
- 3 grams yeast
- 12 grams salt
- 500 grams water
- 48 grams olive oil
- simple tomato sauce
- toppings
The toppings I usually use include mozzarella and any combination of salume (Italian cured meat, almost always pork), mushrooms, sausage, peppers, and anchovies. I never use pineapple, chicken, bacon, goat cheese, or any other California affectation, because I'm going to hell as it is.
- Turn on your oven to as high as it goes. For me, that's 500F.
- Form the dough by hand into a rough round. If it springs back too much, let it rest for 10 more minutes and try again.
- If you're using a pizza peel to get the pizza onto a baking stone, dust the peel with coarse corn meal, and place the dough on the peel. If you're using a baking sheet, either lightly oil it and dust it with coarse corn meal, or cover it with parchment paper.
- Brush the dough with a little olive oil, avoiding the rim.
- Add enough tomato sauce to cover, but don't over do it.
- Add the toppings.
- Bake the pizza for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
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