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Make-Ahead Pizza

Source of Recipe


Cook's Country magazine



List of Ingredients



• -- Dough --
  
• 1½ cups half-and-half, heated to 110°
  
• ½ cup water, heated to 110°
  
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ cup cornstarch
  
• 1 envelope (2¼ tsp) rapid-rise or instant-rise yeast
  
• ½ tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp sugar
  
• 1½ tsp salt
  
• .
  
• -- Sauce and Toppings --
  
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
  
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
  
• 1 tsp dried oregano
  
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  
• Salt
  
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  
• ¼ cup half-and-half
  






Instructions



1. Make dough:
   Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200° F. When oven reaches 200°, shut it off.
   Grease large bowl. Combine half-and-half, water and oil in liquid measuring cup. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, yeast, baking powder, sugar and salt until combined. With mixer on medium-low speed, add half-and-half in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Continue mixing until sticky strands form around exterior but center of dough is uniform in texture, about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, coat lightly with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
   
   
3. Make sauce:
   Pulse tomatoes in food processor until coarsely ground. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Cook tomato paste until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, basil, oregano and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pulsed tomatoes and simmer until reduced to 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and let cool.
   
   
4. Construct pizza:
   Remove dough from oven and divide in half. Transfer each half to 12-inch disposable aluminum pizza pan and, using oiled hands, press dough to cover pan. Combine mozzarella, Parmesan, and half-and-half in large bowl and stir with rubber spatula until well combined. Top each pizza evenly with half of sauce and half of cheese, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Wrap each pizza tightly with plastic, then aluminum foil. Freeze up to 1 month.
   
   
5. To bake pizza:
   Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place pizza stone on rack and heat oven to 500° F. Discard foil and plastic and remove frozen pizza from aluminum pan. Place pizza on large square of parchment paper and brush edges of dough lightly with oil. Transfer parchment and pizza to hot pizza stone. Cover pizza loosely with greased aluminum foil and bake until underside is golden brown and cheese is starting to melt, about 25 minutes. Discard foil and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is completely melted, about 5 more minutes. Serve.
   
   Makes two 12-inch pizzas.