Fresh hot pizza may well be the most beloved dish in the world. It seems deceptively easy to make since all it requires is simple dough, basic tomato sauce, and melted cheese. But in fact preparing good pizza is a challenging task that requires the hands of an artist.
It is not simple to make delicate dough that will rise and be easy to roll out. It is complicated to bake a brown and crispy shell with a soft consistency that will envelop the sauce and toppings. The popularity of the dish, combined with the difficulty of making it, gave the Italian-American chef Mario Batali an idea. In his book, "Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking" (2010 ), he suggested throwing a pizza party with dough that was partially baked in advance.
I had my doubts about the idea, since good pizza dough must be eaten as soon as it is baked. But the possibility of entertaining guests and serving fine pizza in such a no-fuss way appealed to me. So I decided to check whether the talented chef's method works. The answer is yes. Batali's pizza is wonderful, and the idea is simple. On the morning of the party you prepare plenty of pizza crusts, bake them partially and cover with a towel. In the evening, in view of the guests, you cover them with sauce, fresh cheese, favorite toppings, and bake a second time.
Pizza dough
Pizza flour contains a high percentage of gluten and protean, which helps achieve the crispiness on the outside and softness on the inside. The flour is also user-friendly for rolling out purposes - it will have elasticity, open up and not tear upon coming into contact with the rolling pin. Here are the recommended brands: • Antimo Caputo - Pizza Chef 00 (imported by Tomin ). Pizza flour from 8 kinds of wheat that has been ground in Naples by the Caputo family for threegenerations. Available at Tiv Taam and Eden Teva Market.
• Pivetti-100 (imported by Ristretto ). Flour made from premium Italian wheat that is intended for pizza and focaccia. Available at the Tel Aviv Port farmers' market.
• Stybel Flour No. 2 for thick-crust pizza and No. 15 for thin-crust pizza.
• Sugat pizza and focaccia flour. Flour milled from hard wheat.
Ingredients (4 30-centimeter pies ):
2.5 teaspoons (10 grams ) dry yeast
1.5 cups (360 milliliters ) warm water (45 degrees Celsius )
1.5 teaspoons sugar
4 cups (560 grams ) sifted pizza flour or all-purpose white flour
3 teaspoons regular salt or fine sea salt
1/4 cup (60 milliliters ) refined olive oil
1/2 cup flour mixed with 1/2 cup cornmeal or semolina for rolling out
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 40 degrees Celsius.
In a small bowl combine yeast, water, and sugar. Place in the oven or a warm place for 10 minutes.
Pour flour and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook. Beat on low speed and gradually add the yeast-water mixture and olive oil alternately.
Keep mixing for another minute. Turn the mixer speed up to medium and mix for 3 minutes (all-purpose white flour will require more kneading, another minute or two).
When the dough is smooth, soft to the touch and a little sticky, move it to a work surface that has been dusted with flour and semolina. Knead the dough gently and work into it a little of the flour mixture. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a big bowl that has been greased with olive oil. Cover with a towel and leave it to rise in the oven or a warm place for an hour. The dough will double in volume.
Move the dough to a work surface dusted with a mixture of flour and semolina. Cut into four equal parts. Gently roll each quarter into a ball by folding the edges of the dough inward (not with a rolling movement ). Leave the dough on the floured work surface, cover with a towel and let it rise for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to maximum. Place a pizza dish, baking dish, or baking stone on the bottom (it takes about an hour for it to reach the oven temperature ).
Place a sheet of baking paper on a rolling-out surface, dust with a little flour mixture, and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball as thinly as possible (a circle measuring 28-30 centimeters in diameter ). Place the dough with the paper on the hot dish or stone and bake on the bottom of the oven for 3-4 minutes. Cool. Cover with a towel to cool completely. The result should be fluffy and airy, just the way pizza dough should be.
Right before serving, spread 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce and about 100 grams of mozzarella cheese on the dough, drizzle with olive oil, add your favorite toppings, and bake on the bottom of the oven at the highest temperature for 10 minutes.
This is a simple and tasty sauce that is suitable for pizza or pasta. You can make it the classic way, or use additional ingredients of your choice.
Ingredients:
1 can crushed tomatoes, preferably imported Italian cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 chopped garlic cloves
Preparation:
Cook all of the ingredients on low heat for 30 minutes. Puree, adjust the seasoning and add oregano and chili pepper to taste.
Spinach & sunflower seed pesto
This surprising spread is appropriate for sandwiches or on a pizza crust with antipasti.
Ingredients: 100 grams Turkish spinach leaves, washed and dried
40 grams basil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons water
Olive oil
Preparation:
Grind all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender while gradually adding olive oil until you get a thick and smooth paste.
Garlic candy
Brown and crunchy garlic cloves, crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, are excellent on pizza with ricotta, roasted sweet potatoes, baked cauliflower, and sage.
Ingredients: 15 peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
A few basil leaves
Preparation:
Place all of the ingredients in a small pot and cook on low heat for an hour.
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