24 Hour Pizza Dough ~ Crispy and Thin

My delight at finding and conquering pizza dough is complete with this recipe. The 24+ hour concept may be foreign or may not work with your lifestyle; but the taste of this dough is so worth the effort and wait. This dough can even hold 48 hours. The extra time on the dough must be how the premier pizzerias do their dough. We love the very crispy dough and the taste of this dough. That dough which is so thin that you wonder how all your toppings can make it on the pizza pie. I am the Queen at making mega loaded topped pizzas. Here are also some hints and tips to help as you tackle the making of homemade pizzas. Cook in a very hot oven; 475 degrees. When making your pizza pie and the dough shrinks back after you just finger press or roll it out; let it rest for 10 minutes, it will be more compliant and achieve the thin pizza dough. Before putting your pie down on your pan; give it a swish of cornmeal under the pie. This elevates the pie to allow the hot air to get to the bottom of your pie. Just a few pinches for this purpose. Pre-cook your pizza dough before loading with sauce/toppings.  Dock your dough before pre-cooking; this is done by using a fork to poke holes to prevent bubbles. Be liberal with holes in your dough. Pre-cook all toppings; meats and vegetables. Pepperoni is an exception because it is already pre-cooked. An essential step, this eliminates moisture which is an enemy to your goal of a perfect pizza pie. Pepperoni can be purchased by chunk from any deli counter, like Wal-Mart. I find this budget friendly and more palatable than those pepperoni pre-sliced you see everywhere.   Before pre-cooking take at least one tablespoon olive oil and rub into your dough. Sprinkle your docked and olive oiled dough with Italian Spices. This will definitely make your pizza more tasty, savory and memorable. Pre-cook time is 5 to 6 minutes. After pre-cooking, ladle on your pizza sauce; I buy whatever is on sale or the label of the store I am shopping in because I have enhanced with my spices. However I have found Cher Boyardee to be thin and substandard, never again!  Do not over sauce your pizza; this can cause your pizza to be mushy. Around 3/4 cup will do for my pizza pies. After the sauce the Italians then put their cheese on; that is the way I do it. I choose an Italian blend, these five cheeses of mozzarella, provolone, romano, asiago and parmesan provide the depth of flavor that I am looking to achieve. I choose a 2 cup package for each pizza pie.   Then put your toppings; my favorite is mushroom, artichoke, onion, red pepper, black olive and seasonal zucchini with tomatoes. You might finish up with a small amount of cheese on top to hold the pizza together; I like the way it looks.   Finish cooking about 12 - 15 minutes; I cook on stones so cooking times may be different for you.  With all these tips and this recipe you too can master pizza dough and make memorable pizzas for your family! Grandma Spicy       24 Hour Pizza Dough ~ Crispy and Thin 1 pound (or about 3 1/2 cups) high gluten flour 3/4 cup warm water (110 - 120 degrees) 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast or measure from a 1/4 oz. envelope which holds 2 1/2 teaspoon 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt

---

In a heavy-duty stand mixer (e.g., Kitchen Aid) fitted with dough hook, add the water, oil, yeast, salt, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until yeast has fully dissolved. Add flour and mix on low speed until all of the flour and water have mixed and a stiff dough ball forms, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stop mixing as soon as the dough ball forms as this type of dough should not be kneaded. Place the dough ball into a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 24 hours in the refrigerator before using. When ready to roll out your pie (this makes 3) pull out of the refrigerator and punch the dough down and divide it into three equal parts. Set these aside and allow them to get to room temperature. Then take a dough part and create the magical part of your homemade pizza pie.

 

Please note that I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a 24-hour rising time since it is absolutely essential for the dough to develop its signature texture and, more importantly, its unique flavor! Do not skip this step!

Source: http://www.pizzamaking.com/thincrust.php

Canning Pizza Sauce

This recipe was sourced from the Internet on a wonderful site by a Mennonite woman; see http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2008/10/make-it-yourself-pizza-sauce.html. I made some changes from the original to make it my own, as always from one cook to another I must give the original author her due. Please check out her site, she has some wonderful recipes.

2 gallon tomatoes (generous)
2 1/2 lb. onion (did not use)
several stalks of celery (optional) (did not use)
6 green or red sweet peppers (roasted mine; reds are even sweeter that way)
2 T basil + 2 T oregano or 4 T Italian Spice Blend
1 T garlic powder
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup sugar (I used honey)
1/2 cup oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 T crushed red pepper (optional) (did not use)
1 T paprika (optional) (did not use)
1 T chili powder (optional) (did not use)
1 1/2 cup clear gel

We have a Food Mill that processes the tomato skins aside and blends the tomatoes up. This is done after all bad spots are carved away and the core is removed.  Otherwise, boil water in a large pan. Soak tomatoes in water for a few minutes until skins can be easily removed. Puree peeled tomatoes in blender. Coarsely chop peppers, onions, and celery. Cook in pan with a little water until soft. Then puree vegetables in blender with a little of the tomato juice.

Mix clear gel with some tomato juice. I like to cook my tomato mixture down until the foam is gone; that thickens up the sauce a little. Stir all ingredients in a large pot and cook for 30 minutes at a low simmer to blend well. Seal in jars. Can 10 minutes. Makes 15- 20 pints.

Try My Alternative to Water Bath Canning any Tomato Products: I take my very hot jars out of the dishwasher after their heat dried a few at a time. Fill them with the just finished boiling liquid; put a heat softened flat on top of the clean jar lid (always make sure you soil the rim) and screw on the ring. This can only be done with tomato products; it will save you a lot of time and energy.  

Variations: For spicier sauce add more red pepper. In an attempt to have a darker red colored sauce without the added artificial colorings, I added the chili powder and paprika. Using all red peppers instead of green also makes a much redder sauce. My roasted red peppers added the color. Add more or less clear gel depending on how thick you like it. Cornstarch can be substituted. I use this recipe for spaghetti and lasagna as well.

 

Hope you enjoy your time canning as much as I do. Surely you and your family will savor the taste and smell of your canned pizza sauce and that homemade pizza; made with love!

 

Grandma Spicy