Homemade Pizza...The Crust (long)

[PetersCreek]

A few years back, I got the notion in my head to learn how to make good homemade pizza.  Many years before, I'd tried the box mixes and bad recipes with crusts that tasted like biscuits.  Even if the toppings were great, the crust ruined the whole thing.  So I finally found a good basic crust recipe and now, my wife won't let us order pizza out anymore.  I apologize for the length of this post but I'm a detail kinda guy and pizza making is about as much a ritual as smokin'.

Basic Pizza Dough

Makes two 12–14" crusts.

2½–3 cups bread flour
1 cup warm water (115°F max)
2 tbsp olive oil
2¼ tsp bread machine yeast*
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar

Mixing — Combine 2½ cups of flour with other dry ingredients. Add olive oil to the warm water and mix into the dry ingredients. Add only enough of the reserved ½-cup of flour while mixing until the dough cleanly pulls away from the side of the bowl.

* If you use traditional packaged yeast, mix the warm water, salt, sugar, and oil together, add one package of yeast and proof it prior to adding it to the flour.  I did it this way for the longest time until I caught on to the bread machine yeast, which has never failed to proof.

Kneading — Proper kneading is critical to developing the gluten structure necessary for a good crust. If you're using a stand mixer, you can knead with a dough hook for about 7–10 minutes. I love my Kitchen-Aid but I also like to get my hands in the dough and knead it the old-fashioned way. It feels therapeutic. This takes a good 10–15 minutes or so...but in either case, I don't watch the clock. I go by the "window test."

Window Test — Pinch off a golf or ping-pong sized ball of dough and make a mini crust. While holding it up to a window or other light source, stretch it into as thin a membrane as you can. If it becomes translucent enough to pass window light without tearing, you're done kneading.

Resting/Rising — After kneading, roll the dough into a smooth ball. I often like to make my dough a day ahead and let it rest/rise overnight in the fridge, in a large, lightly-oiled zip lock bag. The next day, I let it come to room tempurature, split it and roll into two smooth balls, and let them rest for 15–20 minutes under a damp tea towel. If I'm making the dough that day, I'll let the dough rise on the counter under a damp tea towel until doubled...about an hour or so...then split and rest it.

Tossing the Crust — Okay, you don't have to toss it...it'll come out fine if you keep it on the counter. Whatever you do, though, don't roll it with a pin. I'm begging you. Up to now, the yeast has been busy breathing life into your crust and the last thing you want to do is squeeze the breath out of it.

Begin making the crust by gently flattening the ball of dough, using just your finger tips to press it out, dusting with flour as needed. It'll look bumpy but that's okay. As it get's thinner, you'll be able to begin stretching it out a bit. Work more on the middle of the crust, leaving the edges just a little thicker. Just watch the thin spots and don't let 'em tear. If it gets to the point that it won't stay stretched...that is, the dough starts getting tough and snapping right back...let it rest a few minutes before continuing.

Now...if you're feeling adventurous, you might try tossing your crust when it gets to the tossable size of 8 inches or so. Just flip it onto the backs of your hands and knuckles closed into a loose fist, your fingers out-of-the-way at all times. Next, gently toss it straight up while crossing your hands one in front of the other in a circular motion, to give the crust a bit of spin. Okay. Now get the step ladder, peel the crust off the ceiling, and take it easy this time. Just toss it high enough to get an easy spin or two out of it. That spin combined with the thicker edge you left on the crust will stretch it little-by-little, nice and round. When it comes back down, as a tossed crust is likely to do, remember to catch it on the backs of your hands.  Fingers make for holey pizza.  Higher tosses and more spins will come with practice.

When the first crust is done, I set it aside and cover it with that trusty damp tea towel. If you only want to make one crust, put the remaining dough if a lightly oil plastic bag, gently squeeze as much of the air out as you can, and freeze it.

Pizza Time — When you're ready to dress your pizza, transfer the crust to a pizza peel generously sprinkled with white corn meal. The corn meal will act like little ball bearings, allowing you to slide your loaded pizza onto the pre-heated pizza stone. You do have a pizza peel, don't you? And a pizza stone?

Equipment — A stand mixer makes life so much easier but my pizza came out just fine before I bought one. Two things that I do think are necessary are a pizza peel (paddle) and a pizza stone. Sure, you can build and cook your pizza on a perforated pizza pan and come out with a tasty pizza...but it's just not the same as when you cook it on a stone.

Now when I say "stone" I don't mean you have to go out and pop for a fancy-schmancy pizza stone from a trendy, high-dollar kitchen store. You can go to your local building supply center and buy a few unglazed quarry tiles for a whole lot less and lay them out on your oven rack. Okay, I admit it. I've got one of those kitchen store stones but I make pizza frequently and like having just one piece to grab and throw in the oven. Either way will make a great pizza.

As for the peel...well, there's no better way to transfer your pizza onto a hot stone, so don't even try. Buy a peel. The good news is, you can get one for not a lot of money. Use the money you saved buying those quarry tiles.

Well, that'll do it for now. In the next installment, I'll get to the actual pizza cooking and I'll share a couple of sauce recipes...and even a no-sauce recipe.

[iceman]

Okay I'm hooked. What time do you want me and Vampyr to show up for sauce lessons? This is killing me. I need time off so I can try this stuff! ;D :D ;)

[Smudge]

Well shootski, I was just going to go online and google pizza dough recipes but stopped in here first.

This pizza peel, I imagine if I saw one it would be more obvious how it works? 

[Vampyr]

You know it Iceman!!  :D  I made pizza just the other day for my inlaws and they loved it. I dont make my own sauce tho.  I would like a recipe though.  I use a sauce from Fred Meyer (Delallo) https://www.delallo.com/products.php?cat_id=64   Very tasty and they use san marzano tomatoes.  I have that flour for you Iceman that i use for my pizzas.  One free day we need to get together and cook a pizza.  Talk to ya later ;D

[Vampyr]

A pizza peel looks like a big flat spatula to slide pizzas into and out of the oven.  Some are made of wood and some are made of metal. ;)

[iceman]

I have that flour for you Iceman that i use for my pizzas.  One free day we need to get together and cook a pizza.  Talk to ya later ;D

I forgot all about the flour. Been tooooooo frigging busy lately. I'm going to try to take Sunday off and catch my breath. We need to toss a cold one and do the pizza for sure soon. I'll have some help next week to get your smoker box up to the valley. I'll keep ya posted. If you get bored Sunday swing by for a brew. I have another B.S. generator to put a new motor in.

[PetersCreek]

Smudge—Vampyr is right on about what a peel is.  My preference is wood.  If you've ever watched the guys in a real pizzaria put a pizza in the oven with 'em, you should have a good idea of how to use it.  Just don't forget the corn meal or you'll discover the heartbreak of not being able to get a fully dressed pizza off your peel.

Iceman & Vampyr—Hell yeah we oughta get together for a pizza, smokin', beer, scotch, cigars, and whatever else comes to mind...especially before the snow flies.

[iceman]

Yer on. I'm going to force some time off and make it happen.

[Neopaul]

This is what I am looking for in how to create a homemade pizza. I was very curious about how to make a pizza. Now I prepare the ingredients, and I try to create a homemade pizza.

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[hal4uk]

Another home-made pizza trick (for tired/old/busy people)...
Pita-Bread.  Easy.  Good. 

Of course... If you have the time...
THAT SOUNDS REAL GOOD, PC!