When it comes to making any type of pizza, let imagination and the season rule your toppings. I love this Caprese-style pizza in the summer with an abundance of vine-ripe tomatoes. And if you are up to expanding your hand-tossed style, take the dough to the grill for an added fire-roasted flavor.
the art of making pizza dough, easy as 1, 2, 3
Mix the Dough and place it in a bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.
The next day, preheat *oven to 475 degrees F.
Stretch out the dough to a rectangular shape and cut it into two pieces. Sprinkle a teaspoon of fine-grind cornmeal on the surface of a heavy-gauge pizza pan or sheet pan. Place the two pieces of dough on top of the cornmeal. Brush the top lightly with olive oil.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the pizza flatbread crust is fully baked. You can check for doneness by tapping on the edge of the dough with your finger. It should be hollow.
Remove from oven, place two pizza flatbreads on a rack, and allow to cool.
When cool, top with sliced vine oak leaf lettuce, ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, and pesto; sprinkle a small amount of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil.
*NOTE: If grilling, pre-heat the grill to high heat. After stretching and right before placing the dough on the grill surface, brush heavily with olive oil.
George's Pizza Dough
Makes enough for 2-3 pizzas
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water. Add the sugar and stir well. Set aside for 10 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear on the surface.
Place 3 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture and the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, using the additional 1/2 cup flour if the dough is sticky.
The dough is sufficiently kneaded when you can stick two fingers into it, and it springs back without leaving an indentation.
Caprese Flatbread Pizza
Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl for 45-60 minutes. Lightly oil the top of each ball with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
- Mixing with a mixer & dough hook: Mix for eight minutes at medium speed
- Mixing with a food processor: process for 40 seconds until smooth; add one additional Tablespoon of flour until all of the flour is combined into the dough.
