Pizza

We love this pizza! The crust is crisp, thin, and bubbly.
Great with a variety of toppings. The pizza sauce recipe is included.  

In a the bowl of an electric mixer, add all the ingredients.  Knead 3 minutes.  Check the dough.  It should stick to the bottom of the bowl a little bit and be just a little sticky.  Add flour or water a teaspoon at a time to get the right feel. 

  Knead 5 minutes more. 

Grease a jellyroll pan and set aside.

Remove from mixer and cut into two equal pieces. 

Roll one piece up tightly like a carpet.

Turn the dough 1/4 turn.

Roll it tightly again like a carpet. 

Form into a tight ball shape by bringing the seams to the top and pinching to seal.

Turn the dough seam side down and continue to pinch seam to form a tight, smooth skin on top.

Place on a greased jellyroll pan.  Repeat with the second piece.  Cover loosely but completely with plastic wrap allowing room for the dough to rise.  Refrigerate overnight or use the proofing instructions as follows.

Remove dough from refrigerator two hours before baking. Leave covered at room temperature.

(You do not need the steam pan on the bottom)
Prepare the oven by placing the top rack on the second highest setting and placing the stone on it.  Heat the oven to 550 or as hot as it will go at least 30 minutes before baking. 

Prepare the work area by getting out all toppings, sauces, cheeses, and ½ cup of flour for working with the dough.

Lightly flour the work surface.

Gently pick up one piece of dough and stretch it evenly to form a large circle.  Since it has been proofing the gluten will be very relaxed making the dough easy to stretch.  If it tears or gets too thin in parts, pinch the dough to seal it.  Stretch to desired size and thickness. 

Set on floured surface to lightly coat the bottom. 

Lightly flour a peel or rimless cookie sheet. 

Place shaped dough on peel.  Shake to make sure it isn’t sticking.  Slip more flour underneath if it is. 

Lightly brush with olive oil to prevent the crust from getting soggy. 

Top as desired. 

Shake lightly again to make sure it isn’t sticking. 

Continue to pull back until the pizza is completely on the stone.

Bake 7-9 minutes until crust is browned and toppings are bubbling.  Slide the peel under the pizza to remove from oven and slice. 

Slide off onto a cooling rack so the crust stays crisp.  While the first pizza is baking, you can stretch the dough of the second pizza and set it on the floured work surface to wait.  You will need the peel for the first pizza, so don’t set it there.     

Serve hot!

Problems

Mis-shapen pizza
When you lift the dough after it is proofed, don't tighten it into a ball. Immediately begin stretching it when you pick it up.

Follow the rolling instructions after kneading to form a tight and even ball. This will give you an even piece of dough to shape later.

Be sure the pizza is not sticking to the peel before sliding it onto the stone. If it sticks to the peel when part of your pizza is already on the stone, it will stretch the dough giving it an odd shape.

Not stone baked
You can of course bake it on a pan, but it won't be the same bubbly crisp crust. Bake it at 450 for 10-15 minutes. If you bake it at 550 as instructed the crust won't be done and the top will be burnt.

Thick crust
If you cannot stretch the dough very thin it has not had adequate time to rest. Give it another 20 minutes and try stretching it again.

One rise
Typically with yeast doughs you let them rise, punch them down, and then form and rise again. It is not necessary in this recipe or in many pizza dough recipes. Just make sure you give the dough adequate time to proof. Do not let the dough rise after shaping the pizza either.

Warm water
Yeasted doughs often use warm water to help the dough rise faster. Don't use warm water in this recipe. It has a long proofing period which is great for taste and texture and will over-ferment if the yeast is activated too quickly.

Great pizza crust recipe, not so great for breadsticks
I have tried this recipe for breadsticks, but I like my breadstick recipe better. I have also tried the breadstick recipe for pizza, but I like the pizza recipe better.

Variations

Sierra's Pesto Pizza

Barbecue Chicken: Brush crust with olive oil. In place of pizza sauce use barbeque sauce mixed with a bit of ranch dressing, top with fresh chopped cilantro, barbeque chicken, and either mozerella or monterey jack cheese. Good with a bit of smoked gouda cheese as well.

Fresh Basil and Tomato: Brush crust with olive oil. Mix 4-5 cheeses: mozerella, parmesan, romano, smoked gouda, and monterey jack make a good combination. Bake as instructed. After it's baked topped with fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh chopped basil.

Pizza Dough
makes 3 thin crust pizzas

1.  In a the bowl of an electric mixer, add all the ingredients.  Knead 3 minutes.  Check the dough.  It should stick to the bottom of the bowl a little bit and be just a little sticky.  Add flour or water a teaspoon at a time to get the right feel.  Knead 5 minutes more. Grease a jellyroll pan and set aside.

2.  Remove from mixer and cut into three equal pieces (10 oz each). Roll one piece up tightly like a carpet. Turn the dough 1/4 turn. Roll it tightly again like a carpet. Form into a tight ball shape by bringing the seams to the top and pinching to seal. Turn the dough seam side down and continue to pinch seam to form a tight, smooth ball.   Place on a greased jellyroll pan.  Repeat with the remaining pieces.  Cover loosely but completely with plastic wrap allowing room for the dough to rise.  Refrigerate overnight or use the proofing instructions as follows.

For best crust taste and texture- Make the day before and refrigerate overnight.  Remove from refrigerator 2-3 hours before baking. 
If dough is made more than two hours before baking- Refrigerate then set at room temperature 2-3 hours before baking.
If using dough within two hours- Leave at room temperature to proof.
   
3.  Remove dough from refrigerator 2-3 hours before baking. Leave covered at room temperature. Thirty minutes before baking, prepare the oven by positioning the top rack on the second highest setting and placing a baking stone on it.  Heat the oven to 550 or as hot as it will go.  Prepare the work area by getting out all toppings, sauces, cheeses, and ½ cup of flour for working with the dough. 

4.  Lightly flour the work surface. Gently pick up one piece of dough and stretch it evenly to form a large circle.  Since it has been proofing the gluten will be very relaxed making the dough easy to stretch.  If it tears or gets too thin in parts, pinch the dough to seal it.  Stretch to desired size and thickness.  Set on floured surface to lightly coat the bottom. 

5.  Lightly flour a peel or rimless cookie sheet.  Place shaped dough on peel.  Shake to make sure it isn’t sticking.  Slip more flour underneath if it is.  Lightly brush with olive oil to prevent the crust from getting soggy from the sauce or toppings.  Top as desired.  Shake lightly again to make sure it isn’t sticking.  Peel onto hot stone by jerking the peel forward then backwards.  Continue to pull back until the pizza is completely on the stone.   Bake 7-9 minutes until crust is browned and toppings are bubbling. 

6.  Slide the peel under the pizza to remove from oven and slice.  Slide off onto a cooling rack so the crust stays crisp.  While the first pizza is baking, you can stretch the dough of the second pizza and set it on the floured work surface to wait.  You will need the peel for the first pizza, so don’t set it there. 

Pizza Sauce

1 T olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic crushed
1/2 t dried oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
3 T tomato paste
2 t sugar
1/2 t salt

Crush or puree tomatoes and set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add red wine and reduce a minute or so. Add prepared tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and salt. Stir well. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until cold.

Tip
It is best to top the dough with cold sauce. This way it doesn't heat the dough making a mess of a thin crust. It also won't burn in the oven if it starts out cold.