Chewy crust, robust
sauce, lots of gooey cheese and endless toppings…I mean who doesn’t LOVE
PIZZA???!?!? This wack- a-doodle right here!! Growing up I was not a fan. I
didn’t like cheese and since that is a staple ingredient I just tried to stay
clear of the stuff. It wasn’t easy. Every birthday party and sleepover there it
would be. Worst of all it was usually plain old cheese pizza, sometimes even
extra cheese. Yuck!!
Once I was in high school, I learned to order pizza with no
or easy cheese. My opinion of the stuff slowly started changing. Once I was out
of the house and was cooking for myself and Ry (who could eat pizza all the
time) I started making my own. I discovered Trader Joes garlic and herb dough
for 99 cents and I couldn’t be stopped. That’s when I began to not only like
but LOVE pizza. I could control everything that went on my pie and the
combination of flavors I could create were unending!
For years my freezer has been well stocked with TJ’s dough.
But times are a changin’ and I have been ready to try my hand at home made for
some time now. Completing “the challenge” and having my ultimate goal of being
processed food free has given me the push to stop lollygagging and make it
happen! I found a recipe that the ENTIRE INTERNET WORLD agreed That Peter Reinhart's was the hands
down best. So I thought it was worth a try, and boy did we agree.
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups whole wheat high gluten bread four or 4 1/2 whole wheat flour, chilled
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt (.44 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (.11 ounce)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (2 ounces)
- 1 3/4 cups water, ice cold (14 ounces, 40 F
- cornmeal, for dusting
Directions:
1. Stir
together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Add in the oil and the cold water and mix on low speed with paddle attachment
until flour is absorbed. Switch to the dough hook and up the speed to medium
for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough.
The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the
bowl. (it kinda looks like a tornado) If the dough is too wet and doesn't come
off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the
sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of
cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just
tacky, and register 50 to 55°F
2.
Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a
sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with
spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (I
divided my dough into 4) Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands
are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball.
If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again.
Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray
oil and cover with plastic wrap
3. Put the
pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3
days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can
store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a
bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and
then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer
for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan
to make pizza.)
4. On the
day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from
the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Dust the counter with flour, Place
the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour;
dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2
inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. let it rest a bit. mean while prepare your toppings.
5.. Heat the
grill as hot as possible, up to 800F but 600F will be sufficient.
6.
Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with cornmeal. Make the
pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry
scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it
by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a
little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it
down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. If
you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let
it rest for 5 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also use
a rolling pin but the end result will be slightly tougher so I don’t recommend.
Every piece of dough is slightly different so you just kinda have to play with
you food a bit.
7. When
the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in
diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure
there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide.
8. Now it’s time to grill. Take your pizza
peel and all your ingredients out to the grill area and set up an assembly
line. Slide the naked pizza, on to your oiled grill. Wait 2 mins then take a
peek. When the bottom is crispy with grill marks and the top is bubbled then it
is time to remove. (it shouldn’t take more than 4 mins)
9. Using
tongs remove and flip the dough back on to your peel charred side up. Close
grill. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings. This is not
the time for the “Everything” pizza. Keep it simple. 1-3 ingredients is best.
The beauty of this pie is the simplicity. A favorite in our house is spicy
chicken sausage with kalamata olives. Last goes the cheese. I prefer to use
fresh mozzarella that I have sliced.
10. Slide
your pizza back on the grill and shut it. Turn the heat down slightly and your
amazing pizza should be done it 2-4 mins! Remove using your pizza peel or tongs
and baking sheet. Top with a handful of fresh basil and fresh grated parm
enjoy!!
This extremely long and much over due post was brought to you by THE WORST BLOGGER EVER! :) sorry guys, promise to do better!
