Thursday, January 27, 2011

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Don't let the long instructions scare you, this pizza dough is easy peasy and so good.  Make it once and you'll never go back to pre-made crusts or prepared dough again.  It's out of Nick Malgieri's Bake, which has loads of great recipes and foolproof instructions. 

Use whatever toppings you like, just don't overdo it or it will be a mess to eat and you don't want to cover the flavour of the crust.  I seriously can't get over how good this is, I want to have pizza every night!



Thin-Crusted Pizza
from Bake by Nick Malgieri

5 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (about 110 F)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided use

Stir the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk the yeast into the water and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the oil.  Use a large rubber spatula to stir the liquid into the flour, continuously scraping the side of the bowl and folding up any unmixed flour from the bottom of the bowl.
Once most of the flour is moistened, repeatedly slide the spatula between the side of the bowl and the dough and fold the dough over on itself to make it smoother.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Scrap risen dough onto floured work surface.  Fold it over on itself several times to make it smoother.  Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into equal pieces.  Fold sides of each piece of dough into the top center to round it.  Flip pieces over so that smooth sides are facing up.
Generously flour each piece and wrap them individually in plastic.  They can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
About 20 min before forming and baking pizzas, set rack in lowest level of oven and preheat to oven's highest setting, at least 550 F.
Use 2 more tablespoons of oil to grease bottom and sides of pan and unwrap dough onto it.  Turn dough over so top is oiled too and press with fingers of both hands to stretch the dough to fill the pan.
Add toppings, drizzle with remaining oil.  Bake pizza until toppings are bubbling and lightly browned and bottom is well baked through, about 10 minutes.  After about 5 minutes use a metal spatula to lift crust to see if bottom is colouring.

4 comments:

  1. i've never used bread flour for pizza dough. i bet it makes the crust doughy and chewy and wonderful.

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  2. I love making pizza at home, especially when hubby joins in, I love to get creative with the toppings. Your pizza looks totally perfect, I usually use Jamie Oliver's recipe but will try this one next time. x

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  3. Normally when I make pizza dough I always use bread flour, but yesterday I used all purpose as Safeway had no bread flour and the dough came out really well. I was really surprised.

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  4. Wow this was amazing! My hubby said we need to make this again!

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