Hi everyone,
Here is my dough recipe that I have been working with for the past year or so.
5 1/2 cups KA Bread Flour
1 cup Pillsbury Cake Flour
19 3/4 oz water @ 105 degrees
2 oz C & H Bakers Sugar
1 oz Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Crisco
4 tsp Fleischmanns ADY
Filippo Berio Olive Oil to lubricate pizza containers
First I make a starter. Add the yeast to the water at 105 degrees. Stir with a fork to break up the yeast After a few minutes add about half the sugar. Let it bloom for about 5-8 minutes. Mix in about 3 cups of the flour mixture and add the remaining sugar. Stir until it looks like a pancake batter. Cover and put in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours. Now add the sea salt to the remaining flour and set aside for later.
After the 24 hour refrigeration of the starter, remove from refrigerator and prepare to make dough. I use a very large stainless steel mixing bowl (20 quart) to mix the dough. Add the 1 tbsp of Crisco to the starter and stir together. Now empty the starter into the mixing bowl and add about half of the remaining flour mixture. Combine with a large spoon until it forms a ball then add the rest of it. Continue with the large spoon until it comes together a little more. Start working with your hands. I do not use a mixer. I have a new Viking 7 quart that is collecting dust. It helps to dip your hands in cold water to keep dough from sticking too much. Now I dump the dough mixture on to my flour dusted countertop and continue kneeding. It's very important NOT to over kneed this dough. Stop when smooth and soft...about 2 minutes. NO MORE! Cut the dough into 2 or 3 equal parts depending on what size pizza's you want to make. I generally make about a 14 inch pie. Shape into tight balls and place into oiled plastic containers. Coat the top of the dough balls lightly with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming.
At this point you can put it in the refrigerator for a 24 hour slow rise. If you can't wait, place them on your counter for 5 - 6 hours until your ready to make pizza. Either way works great. Make sure you remove the refrigerated dough a good 2-3 hours before you start making your pizzas. NEVER punch the dough down. It should feel softer than a down pillow when you work with it. It will stretch beautifully and NEVER use a rolling pin.
I generally use 6 in 1 crushed peeled for my sauce. I add garlic softened in olive oil, fresh torn basil leaves, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and a little Imported Pecorino Romano cheese. I sometimes like to use a Marinara sauce for a change. The mozzarella cheese I like to use is Grande whole milk, low moisture. I use to use Polly-O whole milk...I got tired of the cheese blistering and burning.
I bake my pies in a 550 degree oven on a stone. I have added additional unglazed quarry tiles and a top stone to generate more radiant heat. So far so good! I might try dropping the temp to 475 degrees because my wife prefers her pizza with very little char.
jm
