The Perfect Pizza Dough

[WayneT]

The Perfect Pizza Dough

Use a Mixer or Food processor

2 2/3 cup water
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons cornmeal (polenta)
6 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder (YES!)
4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

(Thin base: Use 1/2 teaspoon less yeast)

Using Dough Hook:
Place water, sugar and olive oil in bowl of mixer and mix 30 seconds.
Add 1/2 flour and beat on high speed for 3 minutes, Mix in yeast and
leave 5 minutes.
Sift rest of flour and other dry ingredients together and knead with dough hook to
form a soft, but not-too sticky dough (about 5 minutes).
Remove from machine, Oil bowl lightly and turn dough to lightly grease
with oil. Cover with plastic wrap (place onto surface not just cover bowl)
and allow to prove until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Turn out on to floured surface and knead 2-3 minutes. Allow dough to
rest 15 minutes before using.

Dough can be refrigerated in bowl covered with greased plastic wrap for a couple of days.
Knead lightly each day and replace in refrigerator.

NB: can be made in food processor or bread machine if dough hook not available, I guess hand kneading also if you knead to. In processor, place all dry ingredients in processor and mix together. Add water and oil and process only until dough comes together in ball.

Bake 200°C/390°F for about 15-20 minutes. Bottom should be lightly browned, crust edge nicely risen and crisp.

 

[MJ]

Thats a big pizza base :!:

 

[jasonr]

This enormous pizza will devour us all! :?

 

[WayneT]

This enormous pizza will devour us all!

OK you guys, you have had your fun, you have taken the mickey out of me, so I have now corrected the title, so how about chanelling your excess energy into making the dough, either make one humongous pizza or several smaller ones OR you could even make a combination of these i.e some big, some small. Surely no mistake now. When you have achieved this little task, sit down and enjoy the best homemade pizza ever. he! he!

NB the baking powder addition.

 

[Juliev]

Basil/Onion Crispy Pizza Crust:

1/3 cup cornmeal
2 cup flour
2 tbsp salad oil
1 small onion minced very fine
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Mix cornmeal and flour. Gradually stir in 3/4 cup cold water. Knead dough 2 minutes or until smooth. Cover bowl and let rest 15 minutes.

Cook onion, basil and salt in oil over medium heat until tender.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead about 2 minutes, add more flour if needed. Roll dough into 12 inch round. Spread onion mixture over dough; fold in half, then half again. Pinch to seal edges. Roll into 12-14 inch round. Bake 15 minutes on pizza pan with your choice of cheese, vegies, meats, etc..until cheese is bubbly and toppings are done.

 

[WayneT]

Juliev,
I like your idea with the folding etc. something different.
I am a Basil freak. Pizzas, tomato =Basil.
My favourite topping is Tomato based sauce of choice, Cheddar cheese (tastier than Mozzarella), Fresh basil leaves, oregano sun dried tomatoes and anchovies and a few bits of chilli.
Slices of Avacado and Artichokes also go well.

 

[pancake]

Wayne thank you so much ! I love pizza and I never tried adding cornmeal to the dough, what does it do ?

 

[WayneT]

This recipe is a recipe that I got from the net. It was supposed to be a Pizza hut recipe. I modified it slightly but left the cornmeal in. I used fine polenta, it is similar to semolina, I could not find any product in Sydney called cornmeal. I am not sure if it is exactly the same. As far as I can see it is purely a textural thing. I gaurantee that you won't end up with pieces of crust leftover on the plates if you use this dough. You can add herbs and cheese etc to the dough if you wish.

 

[pancake]

Okay you got me so excited Wayne
I will try it over the weekend for sure & I did hear about baking powder in the crust before but I thought baking powder loses it's activity when left out for a long time (I read it in a cookbook for preparing cakes). I learned to trust experience 1000 times more than cookbooks & literature !

 

[WayneT]

Some baking powder activates on heat, some on contact with liquid. I am not sure what the Aussie stuff is but it once was possible to get both. No description on the tins. I have a feeling ours may be a mix of the two. I must admit that the fresher the dough the better the result. That is, while the dough works fine after freezing I find it has a slight edge if freshly made.

 

[AllenOK]

Wayne, I wouldn't worry about using Polenta over Cornmeal. Polenta is Italian cornmeal, of a slightly coarser grind. IMHO, you're being more authentic by using Polenta.

I also have a dumb question for anyone following or reading this thread. Have any of you all ever tried using a cast iron skillet and a pizza dough, and making a Chicago-style deep-dish pizza?

I'm thinking about giving that a whirl, and seeing what it's like. It just might give my other half, Laurie, a run for her money on the way she makes pizza.

 

[MJ]

Try this one.

Beer-Based Pizza Dough Recipe

1 1/4 c. warm beer (115 degrees F)
1 t. sugar or honey
1/4 t. instant yeast
3/4 t. olive oil
1 c. bread flour
1c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cake flour
1/4 c. yellow corn meal
2 t. sea salt

Mix the bread flour, all-purpose flour, cake flour, corn meal, and the instant yeast in the bowl of a food processor. Combine the warm beer, sugar (or honey), and olive oil in a container. Gradually add the yeast-beer mixture and process, using the "pulse" switch, until a rough dough ball is formed, about 1 minute or so. Let the dough ball rest in the bowl of the food processor for about 5-15 minutes (autolyse). Add the sea salt and continue to process for about another 45 seconds, at normal operating speed (using the "on" switch), or until the dough ball is smooth and fairly elastic and passes the windowpane test (you should be able to flatten a small piece of the dough and stretch it in all directions and see light through it). The dough will not be quite as elastic as one using only white flours, because of the presence of the corn meal. Place the dough ball in a container, cover and let rise at room temperature (70-75 degrees F) until about doubled in volume, around 4 hours. Punch down the dough and divide into 2 equal dough portions. Let rise again until doubled again, about 2 hours. When ready to make pizzas, shape each dough ball into a round about 1/4-inch thick. If the dough resists shaping, let it rest for about 5 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, and then continue to shape into a round. The dough should be elastic but not quite as elastic as a dough that does not contain corn meal. Consequently, care should be taken that the dough does not tear while being stretched, turned and shaped into a round. Top each pizza round as desired and bake on a pizza stone that has been preheated for 1 hour at the highest oven temperature possible, usually 500-550 degrees F for a home oven.

 

[WayneT]

Another stuffup posting by me!.

 

[WayneT]

I would prefer to add more yeast and drink the beer with the pizza. he! he! (only kidding). I use beer, 7-up, Coke etc in batters. Simply add drink of choice to flour, salt , pepper and any herbs or seeds etc that you would normally use (or would like to try) in the batter and mix using enough of the drink to get the consistency you desire. Voila! that's it.

 

[Juliev]

Here you go Allen.. and it's great!!

Skillet Pan Pizza

Crust:

2 tbsp butter
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk

Sauce:

8 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp basil leaves
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic

Topping:

1 1/2 cup (6 oz) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup sliced 1/4 inch fresh mushrooms
2 oz sliced pepperoni
1 med green pepper, sliced 1/8 inch
1 med ripe tomato, sliced 1/8 inch
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced 1/4 inch

Heat oven to 425°. In 10-inch ovenproof skillet melt butter in oven (3-4 minutes). Meanwhile, in medium bowl stir together all crust ingredients except milk. Stir in milk just until moistened.

On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth (1 minute). Press dough on bottom and halfway up sides of skillet with melted butter. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small bowl stir together all sauce ingredients. Spread tomato sauce over partially baked crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and mushrooms. Arrange pepperoni, green pepper and tomato on pizza; sprinkle with olives and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Return to oven; continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

 

[AllenOK]

THANK YOU!