(by 8 people)
Secret #3 to Make A Super Pizza
Welcome to The Perfect Pizza Crust - Secret #3! I'm exploring ways to improve the texture and taste of pizza crust, so that it rivals the very best pizzerias. Secret #3 has had the most dramatic impact of any I've tried so far.
The Basics of Pizza Dough
Photo courtesy of Flickr and Sarah and Jason
The following ingredients are the basis for most standard white-flour dough/crust recipes. Some people like to use olive oil. You can put lots of other things into the dough too. Try herbs like basil, oregano, or rosemary. Put in some minced garlic or garlic powder, but be a little careful here; too much garlic can retard the action of the yeast. I'll bet some chopped sun-dried tomatoes would be yummy. Don't get too fussy about the exact amount of water or flour; you may need to add more of one or the other while you are mixing the dough.
1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
(optional) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating
What does each ingredient do for the dough?
Should I use all-purpose flour or bread flour?
The traditional directions for pizza dough as are follows. After we've gone through the basics, we'll talk about those secrets I promised.
1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water (takes maybe 5 minutes).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and liquid.
If making your dough by hand, stir until the mixture forms a ball, then turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about five minutes.
If you have a mixer with a dough hook, knead the ingredients on low for about five minutes with the dough hook.
3. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover loosely and let the dough rise until about doubled in volume, an hour or two.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and move it, by hand or with a rolling pin, into the desired shape and thickness. Make sure your edges are a little thicker than the rest of the pie crust.
5. Transfer carefullly to baking sheet and add the desired toppings. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted and lightly browned." />
If You Need Help With the Basics of Pizza Making
-
How to Make Pizza Dough
-
Learn how easy it can be to make your own pizza right at home. I've included step-by-step instructions to help you make a tasty pizza crust. Making your own pizza is not only satisfying; it saves you a lot of money, too. Ingredients for pizza are muc...
Here's the Secret!
Photo courtesy of Flickr and foéÖþoooey
Most traditional pizza dough recipes instruct you to "proof" the dough after it's been kneaded. Proof is just the fancy word for putting the dough in a greased bowl and letting it rise.There are a number of well-respected pizza-ologists who insist that the dough go through a slow fermentation process in the fridge rather than a fairly quick rise on the counter. By slow, I mean at least 18 hours.
So here's the secret: After you've finished with the kneading, divide the dough into the number of pizzas you intend to make with it. Shape each one into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Leave it there at least overnight. You can leave it up to three days if you want, but longer than that, freeze it. When you're ready to make pizza, take the dough out of the fridge, let it sit for an hour or so, then roll it or shape it and finish your pizza. Take dough out of the freezer a day ahead and put it in the fridge.
Some pizza experts tell you to let the pizza dough rise again for a couple of hours after you've shaped it. It's up to you.
Why does this method make the pizza healthier?
What Does It Do and Why Does It Work?
Buy at AllPosters.com
Flour contains two proteins, glutenin and gliaden. When water is added, glutenin and gliaden get plumped up, start to mix together, and along with the water molecules, begin to form gluten. As you mix the dough, gluten molecules stick together and form longer strands.
During kneading, the gluten strands become stronger and stretchier. Continued kneading aligns the strands into a honeycomb-like network that will trap gas and expand as the yeast goes to work.
Yeast in bread-making is a single-celled fungus that feeds mostly on simple sugars in order to produce energy to grow and reproduce. In the digestion process, called "fermentation," the yeasties "burp" out carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol. The carbon dioxide is what causes the dough to rise.
Photo courtesy of Flickr and Slice
Fermentation in dough is useful in other ways too. The fermentation process produces the enzyme protease, which relaxes the strands within the gluten network, making the dough stretchier. Fermentation also produces lactic acid and acetic acid. These acids react with proteins in the flour to create that wonderful aroma and flavor or freshly baked bread.Within limits, the longer the fermentation process goes on, the more elastic the dough and more flavorful the bread. Refrigerating the pizza dough slows down the fermentation process, so that these other chemicals have time to do their own magic.
My Experience
The stretchibility of this dough was incredible! I could stretch it paper thin if I wanted. It didn't fight me at all. The texture of the crust after it was baked was light and slightly crispy. I would rate the texture definitely above average.
I was disappointed in the taste. I was expecting some amazing transformation in flavor from the slow fermentation. I didn't really notice much of a difference in the flavor.
I think I'll incorporate this technique into my pizza making when I have time. The texture of the dough and crust make it worth the extra time.
Vote Here!
What are the most popular pizza toppings in
India
Russia
Japan
Brazil
Costa Rica
Australia
France
Netherlands
Pakistan?
Click here for the answers.
Highly Recommended Reading from Amazon
How to Bake: Complete Guide to Perfect Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Tarts, Breads, Pizzas, Muffins,
Amazon Price: $24.75 (as of 08/30/2008)
More of The Perfect Pizza Crust Series
-
Make a Perfect Pizza Crust - Part 2 - Let It Be!
-
Welcome to The Perfect Pizza Crust - Part 2. I'm exploring ways to make a pizza crust worthy of a "WOW!" In Part 2, we'll look at a hint that most experienced pizza and bread makers know about and use. However, it is very seldom included in recipes f...
-
Make a Perfect Pizza Crust - Part 1 - Something in the Water
-
Learn how to make a pizza crust that will rival ANYTHING you've ever tasted in a pizzeria. Making a great crust isn't difficult; you just have to know what to do. You are about to join an elite group of "upper crust" pizza makers. No more soggy or ca...
An Excellent Book from Amazon
THE ULTIMATE PIZZA MANUAL: MAKE PIZZA LIKE THE PROS…USED TO!
Amazon Price: $13.45 (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $14.95
Avg. Customer Rating: 
More Food on Squidoo
Lots of great recipes and information.
-
Not Your Usual Zucchini Recipes
-
You've made every zucchini recipe in your cookbook, but you STILL have bushels of zucchini left. You've given zucchini away to everyone you know, you've left bags of it in the break room at work, but the garden just keeps producing more. Try some of...
-
Mock Apple Pie
-
Wait. You want me to make an apple pie with no apples in it? Mock apple pie has a rich history from the settlers heading west across a young United States to the 20th-century suburban housewife. Read on to learn all about this culinary oddity.
-
Velveeta...Unwrapped
-
An in-depth look at one of the most villified foods in the United States. It's right up there with Spam. Get the history, find recipes you won't believe, learn how to make your own, find out what you do when someone gives you 30 pounds of Velveeta as...
-
How to Make Super Soup - Tips to Make It Tastier
-
I love soup! The possibilities are endless, from simple clear soups to thick, creamy potato soups. It can make a light repast or a complete, hearty meal. Simple or exotic. Savory or sweet. Such potential! What do you do when the soup just doesn't do...
-
Fresh Homemade Mexican Salsa: Traditional and Unusual Recipes and Ingredients
-
The term "salsa" covers a wide variety of tasty meal additions. It literally translates as "sauce," and you can put it on meats and veggies or use it as a dip for your chips. Whatever you do with your salsa, it's sure to spice up your meal. Read on t...
What's healthy about eating pizza?
Click here to find out.
Pizza-Making on Amazon
Helpful gadgets for pizza makers
VillaWare PizzaGrill BBQ Pizza Maker
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $68.57 (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $99.99
Eastman Outdoors #90414 ZaGrill Pizza Cooker
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $24.95
Epicurean Cutting Surfaces 23-by-14-Inch Pizza Peel, Natural
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $32.95 (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $32.99
Kitchen Supply Rectangular Pizza Stone 14" x 16"
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $32.00
Cuisinart BRK-200 Brick Oven Deluxe, Stainless Steel
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 08/30/2008)
List Price: $450.00
Pizza Cookbooks on Amazon
Amazon Error: Could not open remote connection
Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.How much should you tip the pizza delivery driver? Learn the answer here.
Drop Me a Line!
I love to read your comments, so let me know you were here. Thanks.
|
Evelyn_Saenz
By the way, we found that Costa Ricans preferred Ham and Cheese pizzas. Posted August 17, 2008 |
|
|
Evelyn_Saenz
We learned the hard way at our restaurant in Costa Rica that the long way is the way to get thin crust. Waiting makes the dough elastic enough to roll really thin. If you want the crust to be thick, let it rise after rolling out. Posted August 17, 2008 |
|
seedplanter
My granddaughter is going to love you forever. Posted August 11, 2008 |
|
RichLeigh
Another super lens which has left me feeling incredibly hungry! I'd love to have a pizza right about now and will definitely have to give this a try! Posted August 07, 2008 |
|
funwithtrains
Sounds delicious! Posted August 07, 2008 |
|
DebbieJohnson
Awesome lens! Just hungry watching those pictures :P Posted August 07, 2008 |
|
intricate
Excellent lens, I've been very interested in making pizza at home lately and have failed very very miserably. Thanks for the help! Posted August 06, 2008 |
|
poddys
Nice lens, you did a great job. I can almost smell it... 5***** Posted August 06, 2008 |
|
ElizabethJeanAllen
We made a lot of homemade pizza when my kids were growing up. We made a bunch of dough--some for that night and some for later. So I can say we've used both methods. To be honest, the aged dough was better. Posted August 06, 2008 |
|
Webcodes
You're making me hungry. 5*. Gotta try it. Posted August 06, 2008 |
