Category: Pizza

Delicious Pan Pizza with Focaccia Dough

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There are so many options to make your own pizza. I really enjoy my 72 hour cold proof pizza dough, but sometimes I want something faster.

The pizza dough in this recipe is more like a focaccia texture, but that makes it perfect for a pan pizza. It is a recipe from the amazing Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. It is from his book “My Bread”.

Ingredients: 

3 3/4 cups/500 grams Bread Flour

2 1/2 tsp Instant or Active Dry Yeast

3/4 tsp Salt

3/4 tsp Sugar

1 1/3 cups/300 grams Water, at room temperature.

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Preparation:

Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large bowl, slowly add your water and mix well with a spoon or spatula until well mixed. About 1 minute. Cover and allow to rise for two hours.

Turn it out onto a floured surface and form into a ball and allow to rise for another 30 minutes covered with a damp cloth.

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Once the dough has finished its second proof, oil a half sheet pan well and gently stretch the dough into a loaf shape and place the dough into the pan and use your fingers to stretch it into a thin even layer and a little bit of thicker crust around the edges.

Add whatever ingredients you desire and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until well browned. Slide it onto a cutting board, and slice into squares.

Note: The pizza above with Parma Ham, Mozzarella and Arugula was particularly good.

Delicious Pan Pizza with Focaccia Dough

There are so many options to make your own pizza. I really enjoy my 72 hour cold proof pizza dough, but sometimes I want something faster.The pizza dough in this recipe is more like a focaccia texture, but that makes it perfect for a pan pizza. It is a recipe from the amazing Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. It is from his book “My Bread”.
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Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 3/4 cups/500 grams Bread Flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp Instant or Active Dry Yeast
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups/300 grams Water at room temperature.
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Equipment

  • 1/2 Sheet Pan

Method
 

  1. Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large bowl, slowly add your water and mix well with a spoon or spatula until well mixed. About 1 minute. Cover and allow to rise for two hours.
  2. Turn it out onto a floured surface and form into a ball and allow to rise for another 30 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
  3. Preheat your oven to 500°F. Once the dough has finished its second proof, oil a half sheet pan well and gently stretch the dough into a loaf shape and place the dough into the pan and use your fingers to stretch it into a thin even layer and a little bit of thicker crust around the edges.
  4. Add whatever ingredients you desire and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until well browned. Slide it onto a cutting board, and slice into squares.
  5. Note: The pizza above with Parma Ham, Mozzarella and Arugula was particularly good.

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Let us know how it was!

How to Make Perfect Pizza Sauce from Scratch

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To make a really epic pizza, you really only have three key ingredients, dough, sauce and cheese.

All other toppings are a matter of personal choice, but if either of these three ingredients are not spot on, it’s never going to be a brilliant pizza.

In a previous post, I’ve shared my recipe for pizza dough. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference the cold proof makes. The cold proof creates a vastly superior and tasty dough.

Want to learn about cold proofing, Ultimate Recipe for Cold Rise Pizza Dough

Now, I want to share my pizza sauce recipe. It’s not difficult to make, but use the best ingredients you can find and let it simmer very slowly. It smells wonderful.

Ingredients: 

1- 14.5oz can Diced Organic Tomatoes, Muir Glen are particularly good and of course a premium Italian tomato would be great.
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 clove of Garlic peeled and lightly crushed with the side of your chef’s knife.

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring up to a simmer and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Hot pizza sauce makes for a mushy crust, I like it to be room temperature, when I spoon it onto the dough.

This recipe makes enough sauce for two 14 inch pizzas.

Ultimate Recipe for Cold Rise Pizza Dough

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After trying quite a few recipes and much experimentation, I have come to the conclusion that the key to good pizza dough is a cold rise.

I have found that dough which rests in the refrigerator for 24 to 72 hours has vastly more flavor than a quick made dough. Personally, I like a 72 hours cold proof.

Dough which rises quickly tends to taste raw, like flour and water and there is little of the complex yeasty flavors that develop when given proper proofing time.

There are so many variable to making a good dough, so experiment. Most top pizzerias have their own recipe and I think the crust is what really separates average pizza from world class.

Ingredients:
3 cups Bread Flour or Italian 00 Flour
1 packet of Instant Yeast (Note: this is not the same as Active Dry Yeast)
1 tsp Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup, plus 1 Tbsp warm water, about 110 degrees F.

Preparation:

Put all of your dry ingredients into a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Blend them together and then slowly add your water and olive oil until the mixture comes together and it is not sticking to the sides of the mixer. If you need more flour or water, just add a little bit at a time, until the mixture is workable.

Take the dough out and knead it back on itself until it glistens and comes together without sticking. I find 4-5 minutes is ideal. Add a little olive oil to a bowl, I prefer glass, and massage a little on the dough and place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap and into the refrigerator for a minimum of 24, or even better 72 hours.

When you are ready to use it, you will need to bring it up to room temperature. Divide the dough into two or three equal pieces, work it into balls and place onto a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and allow to proof for at least two hours in a warm spot.

Then put a little bit of flour onto your working station, and then stretch with your fingers to the desired thickness and size.

Preheat your oven to 550F and then add your sauce and toppings and bake on the top shelf for 9-11 minutes.