Napoletana Pizza Dough
Source of Recipe
Modbee
Recipe Introduction
Makes six 6-ounce balls of dough, enough for six 9-inch pizzas
This recipe is from "American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza," by Peter Reinhart
List of Ingredients
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (see note), plus more if needed
1¾ teaspoons table salt or 3¼ teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons cool water (65 degrees), plus more if needed
Olive oil, for brushingRecipe
1. In a 4-quart bowl, mix the 5 cups flour, salt, yeast and water with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or with a large metal spoon, until a coarse ball of dough forms. (If using a mixer, beat at low speed about 4 minutes.) Let dough rest for 5 minutes.
2. Mix again until dough clears the sides of the bowl and barely sticks to the bottom. (If using a mixer, beat at medium-low speed about 2 minutes. If mixing by hand, repeatedly dip the spoon into water and use it like a dough hook. Work the dough vigorously into a coarse ball while rotating the bowl with your other hand. This will take about 4 minutes.)
3. If dough is too soft and sticky to hold its shape, mix in more flour, a tablespoon at a time; if too stiff or dry, mix in more water by the tablespoonful. Let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Mix again until dough is slightly sticky and supple, 2 to 3 more minutes. If dough is too soft to hold its shape, mix in more flour by the tablespoonful; if too stiff, mix in water by the tablespoonful.
5. Place dough on a floured counter and dust with flour to absorb surface moisture. Fold into a ball and place in a bowl brushed with olive oil, turning dough to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. (If making pizzas that day, let dough stand at room temperature for 1½ hours. Punch it down, reshape it into a ball, and return ball to bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.)
6. The next day (or later the same day after dough has been chilled), remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before making pizzas. It will have expanded somewhat and be softer and more pliable.
7. Using a plastic bowl scraper dipped in water, or with wet hands, gently transfer dough to a floured counter, deflating it as little as possible. With a pastry blade dipped in water, divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Gently round each piece into a ball and rub with olive oil.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick silicone baking liner; brush with olive oil. Place dough needed to make pizzas today on the sheet and loosely cover sheet with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag; refrigerate if not using within 2 hours. Place extra balls in individual zippered freezer bags; refrigerate or freeze. Use refrigerated balls within 2 days and frozen balls within 3 months.
9. Let dough stand at room temperature for 2 hours before making pizzas.
Note: If desired, substitute a little whole-wheat or other whole-grain flour -- up to 1 tablespoon per cup -- for the all-purpose flour to give the crust a country-style taste.
Roasted-pepper Sauce
Makes 2 cups
This sauce can be used as an alternative to the crushed-tomato sauce or as a dip served alongside a loaf of warm, crusty bread.
This recipe is from Country Living magazine.
Ingredients:
3 orange or yellow bell peppers
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
º teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh sage, coarsely chopped (about 3 leaves)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place whole peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes.
Allow the peppers to cool, peel and seed, and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and pulse until chunky.
Store refrigerated for up to two days.
Pizza Margherita
Makes 2 (9-inch) pizzas (6 slices each)
This recipe is adapted from "American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza," by Peter Reinhart (Ten Speed Press, $24.95).
Ingredients:
Unbleached all-purpose flour, cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
2 (6-ounce) balls Napoletana pizza dough (recipe at left)
½ cup crushed-tomato sauce (recipe at right), or to taste
16 fresh basil leaves, or more to taste
4 ounces fresh mozzarella (preferably mozzarella di bufala), sliced into rounds, coarsely shredded or cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons freshly grated dry aged cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago or pecorino Romano (optional)
Olive, canola or peanut oil, for greasing the baking sheet
Instructions:
1. Turn on the oven to its highest temperature setting. If using a baking stone, preheat it for 1 hour on the middle shelf. Or preheat a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
2. Dust a work surface with flour. One ball at a time, roll dough in the flour to coat all sides. With floured hands, flatten dough into a 1-inch-thick disc. With your fingertips, press and stretch disc into a 9-inch circle, dusting hands and surface with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Leave the edge of the circle a little thicker than the center. (If desired, hang dough over the counter edge or drape it over your floured knuckles to gently pull it thinner.) Place dough on a flour-dusted peel (broad wooden spatula used to position pizza in oven) or cool inverted baking sheet.
3. Spread ¼ cup of the crushed-tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border. Place at least four basil leaves on the sauce, one in each quadrant. Arrange half the mozzarella over the sauce and basil and, if desired, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese.
4. If using a baking sheet, carefully brush lightly with the oil. Gently slide pizza onto hot stone or baking sheet.
5. Bake until edge of crust is puffy and slightly charred and cheese is melted and starts to brown, seven to nine minutes. (Bottom of crust should be browned and crisp. If not, lower the shelf for the next pizza.)
6. Remove finished pizza from oven and arrange four or more basil leaves on top, at least one in each quadrant. Let cool for two minutes before slicing.
7. For second pizza, repeat with remaining ingredients.
Per slice: 104 calories, 4 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 0.8 g sugar
3 g fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 196 mg sodium, 0.7 g fiber.
Crushed-tomato Sauce
Makes 4 cups
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