Makes two 13-inch pizzas
You can shape the second dough ball whiled the first pizza bakes, but don’t top the pizza until right before you bake it. If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the pizzas on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet. It is important to use ice water in the dough to prevent overheating the dough while in the food processor. Semolina flour is ideal for dusting the peel; use it in place of bread flour if you have it. The sauce will yield more than needed in the recipe; extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.
Dough 3 cups bread flour (16 1/2 oz), plus more for work surface 2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast 1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 oz) 1 Tbs vegetable oil, plus more for work surface 1 1/2 tsp table salt |
Sauce 1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp red wine vinegar 2 med garlic cloves minced 1 tsp table salt 1 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp ground black pepperCheese 1 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup) 8 oz whoe milk mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups) |
In food processor, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30-60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
For the sauce process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
To Bake the Pizza:
One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 6 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.
Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4 inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella. Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza.
Note: You can add vegetables but remember the more you put on, the soggier the pizza will become.
Submitted by: MJ Martin, Director of Parish Operations