LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR OVENS, CRANK THE TEMP UP TO MAXIMUM SMOKE AND HOLD ON FOR THE RESULTING WILD PIZZA RIDE! 
What you are about to experience is the birth of an entirely new category of pizza, literally exploding with Americana. This new pizza is fittingly called, The Little Deuce Coupe. Just like the LDC, this pizza is destined to become an American Classic of phenomenal proportions.
A Little Deuce Coupe is a tricked out hot rod 32 Ford (see pic). Some of you may be familiar with the song recorded by the Beach Boys with the same name. The lyrics go something like this, “She’s my Little Deuce Coupe, you don’t know what I got.” Well forget about those lyrics because I’m going to tell you how to make this LDC pizza. Hmm, but what does a classic street rod have to do with pizza, you ask? Plenty, please allow me to explain, but first you may want to load up on ginkgo biloba before proceeding because this could get heavy, like a Chevy.
I have taken the number 32 and kneaded it into a refreshingly new and exciting pizza. You’ll see the number 32 reverberate numerous times throughout the recipe. Pizza as you know it, will never be the same from this point forward. I guarantee it!
Let’s start with the dough, shall we? I’ll be using bakers percents in the following discussion.
We begin with the weight of the flour equaling 100%. But I wish to make a healthy pizza so I’m using 32% whole wheat flour and the balance as Harvest King unbleached flour. I use only flour grown in the USA because our farmers work hard and I like to thank them by purchasing their great product.
Next I use 64% liquid (64 divided by 2=32). 32% of which is milk and the balance is well water. A cultured milk product, such as buttermilk or yogurt adds a nice twangilicious dimension. Got milk? This recipe sure does so moooove over water. I’m sure the dairy farmers of America would approve.
Since many LDCs had three-2 barrel carburetors installed on them, (aka three deuces or a 6 pack) I decided to do the same for the pizza version. I used 2% each of salt, oil, and sugar. I like to use sea salt. Since this is a classic pizza, I used Bertolli Classico olive oil. You can use any type of sugar you prefer but I found honey makes an unbeelievable difference in the final product. Don’t get stung by using just plain old sugar. For a different spin, try spun honey.
For the yeast, use .32% IDY. I make a preferment and this small amount of yeast, when coupled with the honey, really supercharges the dough. It’s the one-two punch that lifts the front end off the ground.
To make the preferment, take 32% of the flour and water and combine it with the yeast. Let this sit at least 3.2 hours or preferably, overnight. Sometimes when I feel adventurous, I use a sourdough starter in lieu of the preferment. If you want to push your pizza making prowess to the redline, use both.
Put everything in the mixer and mix to combine for 3.2 minutes. Let rest for 32 minutes and then mix on low for 3.2 minutes then kick it up to medium speed for 3.2 minutes. Let rise for 3.2 hours. Scale the dough and let rise for 32 minutes and shoot for a bake time of 3.2 minutes.
To stay true to the strict LDC guidelines, this pizza should have 3 toppings and 2 cheeses. It’s nice to use buffalo mozzarella to celebrate the great beasts that once roamed the American plains in such vast numbers.
I like to add a subtle smoky note to the LDC so I toss some apple wood chips in the Little Black Egg while cooking. Any fruitwood works well but steer clear away from mesquite and oak as they impart a very heavy smoke flavor that seems to overpower the delicate balance of this pizza. Our Native American forefathers cooked with wood so this is an effort to pay homage to this lineage. Sometimes, for entertainment value, I send smoke signals while making this pizza.
What’s the beverage of choice to wash the LDC down? Redline energy drink, of course.
What’s a Little Deuce Coupe pizza look like? Check out the pics and oh yea, hold on tight!
Villa Roma
