I have been making pizza on and off since a long time and they tasted great all the time but look wise I was always disappointed. I wanted a pizza that looked like dominos pizza or pizza hut's pizza, but they always come out of the oven as a bummer but that doesnt mean that it didn't taste good.We always enjoy homemade ones to the core but the picture wont be good enough to post.
It has been a while since I made pizza at home, so this time when the Baking partners choose pizza I was very much looking forward to take picture and post it. Unlike the usual pizza dough which I have tried before, this one wanted the dough to rise for 24 hours so I kept postponing making this till last minute. I did follow the recipe to the dot and the pizza tasted really yummy but still look wise I was not happy this time too. I think now after making several pizza's I have come to the conclusion that I should make my pizza bigger which might give a better look than making two smaller ones.
Recipe source - Serious eats
Recipe suggested by - Archana of Tangy minds
Ingredients (serves 3 )
For pizza dough ( for 1 very large pizza or 2 small ones )
Bread flour - 2 1/4 cup
Sugar - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1 1/ 2 tsp
Instant yeast - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tbs
Lukewarm water - 1 cup
For new york style pizza sauce
Peeled plum tomatoes - 1 can
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbs
Unsalted butter - 1 tbs
Garlic cloves - 2 medium (grated )
Dried oregano - 1tsp
Red pepper flakes - pinch
Salt
Basil leaves - 2 sprigs
Onion - 1 medium (chopped )
Sugar - 1 tsp
salt - as required
Ingredients for topping
Mozzarella cheese - 150 gm ( kept in freezer for 15 mins)
Parmesan cheese -50 gm ( kept in freezer for 15 mins)
Vegetables or meat of your choice( I used pepperoni )
Method
Making the Dough
- In a bowl combine bread flour, salt, olive oil, sugar and yeast and add lukewarm water to it and knead well for about 10 -15 minutes until smooth . At this point the dough should strech very thinly and ideally it should pass the window pane test. You can read more about window pane test here.
- Place the dough in the fridge and allow it to rise for minimum 24 hours or upto 5 days and remember to take it out of the fridge atleast 2 hours before baking to bring the dough to room temperature.
Making of Sauce
- Puree the canned tomatoes in a blender ( not a completely smooth kind of puree ) and keep it aside.
- In a pan add butter and olive oil and when butter melts add grated garlic, oregano, pepper flakes , pinch of salt and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, basil sprigs, chopped onions and sugar and bring it to simmer and cook for about 1 hour stirring in between until the sauce thickens a bit and has reduced to half. Add salt.
Assembling
- Take the dough and press it into a roughly 8 inch circle leaving outer edge a little higher than the rest.
- Strech the circle with knuckle until you get a 14-15 inch circle.
- Transfer the pizza into a baking pan /baking tray.
- Spread the pizza sauce evenly on the pizza leaving the outer edge.
- Take the cheese out of the freezer and spread the cheese on top of the sauce.
- Place the toppings of your choice on top.
- Bake the pizza in a preheated oven at 260 or full blast for 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted and is bubbly and the crust has browned and puffed.
