The Lazy Pizza Trick

I love pizza.  LOVE IT!  Especially when its homemade.  The only problem is that with past recipes, the dough had to rest for at least 30 minutes before forming and baking.  Well, I got a new book and its changing the way I think about baking bread. 

The book is called 'Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day' by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg.  The general method is to mix up a match of high moisture dough on the weekend and keep it in your fridge.  When you're ready to bake bread or make pizza, pull out your dough and do it.  You just have to use the dough within two weeks of mixing.  That's it.  That's all. 

Last night, I made pizza.  Again!  I had some leftover meat that I wanted to use up and all of the other ingredients were on hand.  Why not?

For pizza, make up a master dough recipe found here following up to refrigerating the dough: 
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/09/back-to-basics-tips-and-techniques-to-create-a-great-loaf-in-5-minutes-a-day

This time, I replaced 1 cup of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour.  Here's how to make the pizza:

'Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day' Lazy Pizza

1.  Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to the highest temperature setting.

2.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on the table and lightly dusted it with flour.  Next, pull the dough out of the fridge and grab a nice hunk (about the size of a grapefruit).  Formed the dough hunk into a ball and put it on the prepared parchment.  Flatten with your hands and get out your favorite rolling pin.  It should look a little like this:

3.  Roll out with the rolling pin to about 1/4 inch or so thick.  Keep the rolling pin dusted, but don't worry too much about the dough sticking to the parchment paper.  The sticking helps the dough from springing back too much when you roll it.  Take your time-- It should take at least a full three to five minutes to roll. 

4.  Using your fingers, press the dough from the center to the outside edge, stopping about an inch from the edge.  This will create a lip for crust and a 'toppings crater'.  This is a good thing.

5. Slide the whole thing onto the pizza stone and bake for 7 to ten minutes (see note) to give the crust a head start. 
6. Remove from the oven (the crust will not be done at all), carefully peel off the parchment and slide the crust onto a cornmeal dusted pizza peel.  Top with your favorite toppings.  I use the little cans of tomato sauce with basil, oregano, and garlic as my sauce.  Last night, I also used leftover turkey sausage crumbles, leftover garlic lemon chicken, leftover sauteed mushrooms, olives and a few slices of pepperoni.  I always put my cheese on top of the toppings.  Not sure why-- that's the way Mom did it so that's how I do it.  One of those things.

7.  Slide the pizza back on the stone in the oven and continue to bake for another 7 to 10 minutes.  Its done when the cheese is bubbly and and crust is golden.   Scoop it up with the pizza peel and let it cool a minute before slicing.  You will need a GOOD pizza cutter for this crust.   It's super crispy.

Note:

• I baked mine for only 5 minutes and wish I would have baked it for longer. That way, my cheese wouldn't have been so brown. Oh well. I know for next time!

I also have some new friends in the kitchen.  Want to see?

Lemon Thyme

Sweet Basil

Rosemary

Can't wait to start using the fresh herbs.  They add so much to ordinary dishes!  When it gets warm enough, I'll plant them outside.  For now, they seem to be perfectly happy in pots on the kitchen table.