Pizza

While baking hearty rolls, I also made pizza. I made dough from my favourite recipe book, The American Test Kitchen.



Since eating pizza at Brooklyn, I've been a little obsessed with pizza dough. I enjoy the chewy texture of the crust. I know many people believe New York pizza crust taste so good because of their water. I read somewhere that it's not true. I guess there's no way to prove this since those who believe this will be adamant that they're right. But if it's not true, I have the chance to find and replicate what I ate in Brooklyn.

I wanted to use up leftover pizza pepperoni and grated cheese. Unfortunately, the pepperoni was old so I only made a cheese pizza. (I didn't feel like going out to buy stuff so used only what was at home)

Anyways pizza dough is like making bread but one less rise. So here goes my pizza prep...

Dough
First put flour, yeast and salt. Mix in low speed.



While slowly mixing, add olive oil and water.


Mix until it forms a ball and let it rise for 1hr. It's a pretty soft dough.



This recipe makes two pizzas. So I made one and froze the other for another day.
Sauce
While waiting the dough, I made the sauce.

First I sautéed garlic in olive oil.


Then added canned whole tomatoes. I seasoned with salt, pepper and Italian spices (it's called Italiano)




Cook the mixture and stir occasionally. It should be quite a bit of liquid at first.



As it cooks, the liquid will evaporate and tomatoes will lose shape and look like a paste.



The Pizza

I stretched out the dough to form the pizza. I don't know how to throw pizzas but I form a ball, flatten and then hold one end and let it drag and stretch. I go in a circle and this kinda works but I also roll it to make it even shape.



I brushed olive oil on the edge then spread the sauce.



Since I had no topping, I just made a cheese pizza. I generally don't like cheese only but I had no choice.


I baked at 400 degrees on my baking stone and voila.


Here's another view that has my pizza and my rolls.


Taking a slice of the pizza. Yum!



Final Thoughts:
It was soooooooo yummy. Wow. Let's start with the crust. It was chewy and crust was crispy. If I used bread flour, it would have been more chewy. Best crust recipe that I've tried so far.

The sauce was amazing. It was so easy to make and very tasty. I think because of the sauce, a plain cheese pizza tasted so good.

The dough, sauce and pizza was delicious that I'd definitely make it again. Even though it's the best homemade pizza, I'll still try new ones (at least from my current recipe books), just to make sure it is the best!!!

I only wish the cheese was stretchy. That would have made it a perfect pizza! Any suggestions on types of cheese or brand of cheese that'll make the cheese stretchy??

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