Pizza

submitted by and thanks to Terry Carmen

I've been tweaking this recipe for the past 10 years or so, and am
finally unbelievably happy with it.

This is slow rising dough, but is more than worth the time required.

Enjoy!

Dough

Ingredients:

750 ml Bottled Water

1 t Sugar

1/2 T Yeast

2.5 lbs Bread Flour, unbleached, unenriched, if possible (I use New
Hope Mills)

2 T Kosher Salt

Corn Meal


Equipment:

Dough Mixer

Pizza Stone(s)

6 Quart Plastic Bucket w/Lid

Make the water about 68°F (use a thermometer!).

Add the water, sugar & yeast to the dough mixer bowl and whisk (by
hand) until dissolved.

Add about half the flour and start the mixer on slow (this prevents a
blinding flour snowstorm, or if you're lucky, your very own grain
elevator explosion).

Once the ingredients have been mixed, add the salt. (You need to add
the salt after the yeast has been mixed into the dough, since the salt
retards the yeast)

Increase speed to medium and keep adding flour until the dough becomes
sticky and won't splash.

Increase speed to high and continue to slowly add flour 1/2 cup (or
less) at a time until the dough cleans the sides of the mixing bowl.
You may need to use more or less flour than specified depending on the
amount of moisture already in the flour.

Keep kneading until you can windowpane the dough (squish a little
between your fingers, and pull it apart. If it's ready, you will get a
thin, semi-transparent membrane).

Put dough into a 6 Quart plastic bucket with a snap-on lid, and let
rise at room temperature (about 68°) for 24 hours, or until doubled in
size. Punch down dough and put bucket in refrigerator until needed, up
to 24 hours.

Please note that I' not a food snob for specifying bottled water. The
chlorine content and pH of municipal water systems varies wildly
depending on the level of contamination of the source, and what kind
of maintenance activities are going on in the water system. Bottled
water is always inconsistent, and contains little or no chlorine. The
same chlorine that kills the bacteria in the water also kills the
yeast. Using chlorinated tap water will result in inconsistent results
and great frustration.

Makes (4) pizzas the same size as the peel and stone


Pizza Sauce (Adapted from Don Pintabona)

3 28 oz Cans Whole Plum Tomatos, drained

1 small can Tomato Paste

3 Small(really!) Sweet Onions, minced (or 1 large)

3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

12 Leaves Fresh Basil

1 t Dried Oregano

1 t Sugar

2 T Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in a heavy 6 quart pot until shimmering

Add onion, sauté until translucent and softened

Add garlic and sauté until softened

Add tomatoes, crush with a potato masher

Add tomato paste

Stir well and bring to simmer

Add basil

Add salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is thick


Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, Mushroom & Onion Pizza with Basic

1 Sauce (above)

2 1/2 lb Low moisture, Part Skim Mozzarella, grated

1/2 lb Sweet Sausage (I like a local brand "Gianelli") removed from
casing and browned

1 6 or 8 oz Jar Roasted Red Peppers sliced into 1/2" x 1"–2" strips

1 Large Red Onion cut into 1/2 slices, then cut the slices into 1/2"
sections and break apart

8 oz White mushrooms, sliced 1/4" thick

1 C Fresh basil leaves

Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Dust your cutting board with flour.

3 hours before baking, remove dough from the refrigerator, and dump
out onto a floured cutting board. Cut into quarters. Sprinkle a little
flour over the each piece and form into balls. Cover with plastic
wrap, When the balls double in size and are soft, they're ready to
use.

Put pizza stone(s) into oven. Set the oven to 535° F, and heat for at
least an hour.

Sprinkle corn meal on the pizza paddle. Make sure you use enough,
since a stuck pizza is Really Bad.

Flatten the dough by poking it down gently with your fingers, then
when it's mostly flat, stretch it out and lay it on the pizza paddle.
If you're coordinated and want to impress the guests, this is the time
to toss it in the air and give it a spin.

Add a layer of Mozzarella (the cheese goes on first to keep the sauce
from making the crust soggy) and a half-dozen blobs of sauce. Toss
some red-pepper strips, mushrooms and onions on the top Sprinkle on
some sausage.

Grate fresh Parmigiano Reggiano over the top, lay down a dozen or so
Basil leaves and drizzle with a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Slide into oven on hot stone and bake until the top is browned and the
bottom is crispy.