Kitchen Witch - Go for the Dough

I’m the kind of cook who cooks. Baking bread is better done by others - or until I have the time to learn to be patient. I even had pizza lessons in Italy, but all I got was a misshapen dough Frisbee mixed in with bad-mouthing from Sergio, my chef instructor.

At some point, the pizza patience arrived - in my overheated apartment in northern Virginia. The recipe below is written with the dough-challenged (or first-timer) in mind. If this dough dunce can do it, you can, too.

Before you fire up the oven, consider the pizza toppings. If tomatoes are your thing, try the boxed Pomi brand, heated up, seasoned with a glug of olive oil, dried oregano and black pepper. Consider adding chopped fresh garlic, arugula leaves, pineapple chunks, pitted olives or basil. For cheese, consider fresh pecorino, at-home grated parmigiano, ricotta or sharp provolone. Any or all of these options make for a splendid feast and hold up in the leftovers department.

Pizza Dough 101 ?
Makes one larger, 16-inch-ish pie or two smaller, 10-12-inchers

1 cup water

1 envelope active dry yeast

Pinch sugar

Approximately 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Cornmeal

Heat water until 110 degrees — THIS DOES NOT MEAN BOILING WATER! — and pour into a small bowl. Sprinkle contents of yeast packet, sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour over the water. Stir until dissolved and cover bowl at room temperature, until mixture is slightly foamy, about 15 minutes.

In a larger bowl, add 1 cup flour, salt and olive oil, and stir to combine. Add yeast mixture and whisk until just combined. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and switch to a wooden spoon for stirring in between flour additions. You are looking for a soft, sticky dough that just clears the sides of the bowl. Depending on weather (humidity, heat), the amount of flour used will vary between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 cups total. It’s unnecessary to use maximum amount.

Lightly dust work surface with flour and pour mixture out of bowl. Begin kneading dough in the following manner: punch (gently but firmly, but no black eyes, please), fold (in half) and turn (rotate 15 minutes on your imaginary clock, or 1/4 turn). Make this your mantra until your dough becomes a smooth, soft, springy ball, as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place dough in bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, away from drafts. Let rise until doubled, about an hour.

At this point, risen dough may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated (or frozen) for later use. (Let chilled dough warm up at room temperature for about 45 minutes before rolling and shaping.) For two pizzas, cut ball in half and work with one half at a time.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Wipe work surface clean of dough scraps, then dry thoroughly before rolling out dough. Flour-dust work surface and rolling pin (or empty wine bottle). Gently pound on dough so that it begins to look like a disc. After every few motions, rotate dough 1/4 turn. Roll out dough from center, continuing to rotate, careful not to tear dough. Roll to desired thinness and shape.

Dust a pizza pan, stone or bottom side of a baking sheet with cornmeal, for texture. Fold your dough circle in half and carefully lift onto baking surface. Adjust shape of dough and begin adding tomato puree and other toppings of your choice. A final addition of salt just before baking is recommended.

Bake until dough makes a hollow sound when you tap the crust and is golden in color. A 12-inch pie takes about 10-12 minutes, but varies by oven. Bottom of crust should be golden. Transfer pizza to cutting board and cut into slices with a serrated knife or pizza slicer.