Perfect Pizza Crust, The End of a Long Journey
 
 
Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Pizza
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Italian
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
For the Crust
  • 250 gr. all-Purpose Flour (approximately 2 cups + 1 tbsp)
  • ⅛ tsp dry yeast
  • 2 gr. granulated sugar (1/2 tsp)
  • 8 gr. salt (1¼ tsp)
  • 185 gr. lukewarm water (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
For the Tomato sauce
  • 800 gr. / 1.7 lb tomatoes in their juice
  • 1 beef stock, the jelly one
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • Salt, pepper
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp of olive oil
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
For the Crust
  1. You have to start 24 hours before the time you will make the pizza.
  2. In a glass bowl mix all the dry ingredients and then add water.
  3. Stir until just combined.
  4. The dough may seem dry and lumpy but that’s all right.
  5. It will get wet as it matures.
  6. Cover with a cling film and let it rise at room temperature.
Same Day
  1. Now the dough is all wet and fluffy.
  2. Flour your counter really well and with a bowl scraper throw the dough on your floured counter.
  3. Cut the dough in half.
  4. Make sure you use enough flour because the dough is really sticky.
  5. Flour both pieces on their tops.
  6. Now I will quote the exact same words from King Arthur’s so as to make you understand how we do it: “Stretch and fold, as follows: Holding onto the dough at two ends, pull one end away from the other, then fold it back onto itself. Repeat on the other side. Τhe dough will likely be sticky – don’t worry about it looking neat as you fold. Be sure to keep your hands floured as you work. Repeat this process for the other side of the dough, so that all four corners of the dough have been stretched and folded.”
  7. Flour your hands again and shape the dough as a ball by pulling the dough under itself until the top is smooth and the seams are into the bottom of the dough.
  8. Repeat the exact same procedure for the other half of the dough.
  9. Put them in two separate glass bowls, cover them and let them stay at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.
  10. In the meantime, make the tomato sauce.
For the Tomato Sauce
  1. Place the tomatoes in a separate bowl and squeeze them to take out the runny juices.
  2. Reserve this runny part of the tomatoes for another use.
  3. In a skillet pour the olive oil and sauté the garlic in medium heat just until fragrant.
  4. Throw the squeezed tomatoes and the thick juice they were in, not the runny juice from the squeeze, and the rest of the ingredients including the stock jell without dissolving it in water.
  5. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
  6. Remove and set aside.
Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 200° C / 400° F.
  2. In a well-floured counter place the first bowl of dough and start, by using your fingertips to depress it so as to make a round disk.
  3. Be careful not to touch the outer part of the dough.
  4. This will give you a nice bubbly outer crust.
  5. Take the dough carefully and place it in a pan covered with parchment paper.
  6. Spread 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and add whatever ingredients you like.
  7. I wanted a plain one, because of my diet, so I added mushrooms and cheese only.
  8. But you can put just about anything.
  9. Bake until the bottom of the crust is ready and the top has taken a beautiful dark brown color.
  10. Repeat for the second ball of dough.
Notes/ Σημειώσεις
Recipe for the crust from King Arthur's Flour
Recipe by Culinary Flavors at https://www.culinaryflavors.gr/perfect-pizza-crust-the-end-of-a-long-journey/