Directions: |
Directions:In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir until dissolved, and let stand for 10 minutes or until foamy.
In a food processor with a metal blade, place dry ingredients in bowl. With the machine running, pour the liquid through the feed tube and process until the mixture gathers into a ball. Continue to process for 30 seconds. Remove and knead for a minute or two.
Put oil in a Ziploc bag and place dough in it. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Or put in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
When dough has risen, turn out onto a floured surface, punch down and using your hand, press and pat the dough into the desired shape. It should be about ¼” thick for thin, crispy crust or 1/2” thick for a softer one and should be thinner in the middle than at the edge.
Transfer the dough to the baking sheet or baker’s peel and cover with a towel and let rise again until almost doubled, about 20 minutes. Top and bake as desired.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 400 degrees F and bake 10 minutes more, until topping is bubbly. Remove from oven and transfer to cutting board.
VARIATIONS:
HERB:
Add 2 Tablespoons minced fresh herbs or 1 tablespoon dried herbs to the flour and salt. (Parsley, thyme, basil, etc.)
WHOLE WHEAT:
Replace 1 cup of the flour with whole-wheat flour. This will be a slightly heavier dough and will make a denser, chewier crust. Good for more robust toppings.
CALZONES:
Prepare the dough as you would for a pizza. Form the risen dough into balls. On a lightly-floured surface, roll each ball into a neat round about 6-inches in diameter, or shape them with your hands.
Mound the filling of your choice on top of the rolled out dough. Using a brush dipped in water, lightly moisten the edges of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling, gently stretching it to cover the filling completely, forming a semi-circle. Firmly press and crimp the edges together to seal securely. Bake as for pizza for about 15 minutes or until quite brown and crisp. Brush top with olive oil when removed from oven. |
This recipe for PIzza Crust is from