Christian Petronis Pizza Dough Recipes

TENDERONI PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Heat 3 1/4 cups water to 95 degrees F. Dissolve the yeast in the water and transfer to the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add all the flour. Run the mixer on the lowest speed until it comes together, about 2 minutes. Add all the salt and olive oil.
• Continue mixing until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl and all of the ingredients are fully incorporated, an additional 6 to 7 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest and proof at room temperature for 8 hours or up to overnight. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 portions. Place on a flour-dusted baking sheet, then cover lightly and let proof at room temperature for another 2 hours.
• For the pizza topping: Preheat a pizza stone in a 450 degrees F oven for at least 30 minutes.
• Run the tomatoes through a food mill into a small bowl, then season with salt to taste. Add the olive oil. Combine the chile paste and honey in another small bowl.
• Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour. Evenly roll a dough ball with a rolling pin to approximately 12 inches in diameter.
• Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over the sauce and top with a quarter of the pepperoni slices. Slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake until crisp and deep golden brown on the crust, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and drizzle the chile honey over the top. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients and serve.

CHRISTIAN PETRONI'S MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to the highest temperature possible with a pizza stone on the upper rack, for 1 hour.
• Stretch pizza dough with your fingers, working in a circular motion, with your fingers positioned between the center of the dough and the edge, forming a rough disk that will gradually become thiner as you proceed. Then toss dough between the palms of your hands, allowing gravity to stretch it, and the center becomes thinner. Use your fists to move the dough in a circular motion to further stretch it, until it is about 12 inches in diameter, with the edge being slightly thicker. Place dough on a pizza peel lightly sprinkled with semolina to ensure it won't stick.
• Using a small ladle, evenly spread tomato sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Distribute mozzarella uniformly over sauce; garnish with basil leaves. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil.
• When transferring pizza to the heated pizza stone in the oven, use one continuous, but quick, jerking motion. Once in the oven, turn the oven off, and turn broiler to high, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve drizzled with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

CHRISTIAN PETRONI'S TENDERONI PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to the highest temperature possible with a pizza stone on the upper rack, for 1 hour.
• Stretch pizza dough with your fingers, working in a circular motion, with your fingers positioned between the center of the dough and the edge, forming a rough disk that will gradually become thinner as you proceed. Then toss dough between the palms of your hands, allowing gravity to stretch it, and the center becomes thinner. Use your fists to move the dough in a circular motion to further stretch it, until it is about 12 inches in diameter, with the edge being slightly thicker. Place dough on a pizza peel lightly sprinkled with semolina to ensure it won't stick.
• Using a small ladle, evenly spread tomato sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-ich border. Distribute mozzarella uniformly over sauce; top with soppressata. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with chili oil.
• When transferring pizza to the heated pizza stone in the oven, use one continuous, but quick, jerking motion. Once in the oven, turn the oven off, and turn broiler to high, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve drizzled with chili honey.

TENDERONI GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat half of a grill to medium-high heat. Mix together the honey and chile paste in a small bowl and set aside.
• Dust work surface with flour. Press the pizza dough into a 10- to 12-inch round, using a rolling pin to ensure the dough is an even thickness. Place dough on grill over direct heat and grill until lightly charred and dough is still soft and pliable, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill.
• Drizzle the crushed tomatoes with some olive oil. Evenly spread the tomatoes over the grilled pizza crust, then top with mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Place pizza back on the indirect heat (cold) side of the grill and close grill. Let cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the pizza with the chile honey and sprinkle with basil leaves.

CHRIS BIANCO'S PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from surface). Repeat until it's easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until dough is smooth, elastic, and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, 3 hours. Press it with your finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
• Scrape dough out of the bowl onto floured surface, and cut it into 4 pieces. Shape into balls. Dust with flour, and cover with plastic. Let rest, 20 to 30 minutes, allowing dough to relax and almost double.
• Holding top edge of 1 dough ball in both hands, let bottom edge touch work surface (refrigerate remaining balls as you work). Carefully move hands around edge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet). Press out edges using your fingers. Jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.
• Holding top edge of 1 dough ball in both hands, let bottom edge touch work surface (refrigerate remaining balls as you work). Carefully move hands around edge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet). Press out edges using your fingers. Jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.
• Arrange desired toppings on dough.
• Heat oven to broil. Align edge of peel with edge of stone. Tilt peel, jerking it gently to move pizza. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone. (Do not move pizza.) Broil until bubbles begin to form in crust, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce temperature to 500 degrees, and bake until crust is crisp and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes more. (If not using broiler, bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes total.) Remove pizza from oven using peel, and top with additional toppings if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with remaining dough and assorted toppings (each variation can be multiplied, depending on the number of pizzas you're making).

CHRISTIAN PETRONI'S PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to dissolve. Add the flour all at once, and mix, using the dough hook on the lowest setting, for two minutes.
• Add the salt and continue mixing on medium-low speed for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. It should doubled in size.
• Turn dough out onto work surface and divide into eight 8-ounce portions. Form each portion into a ball with lightly oiled hands. Divide the shaped dough among two sheet pans lined with non-stick baking mats or lightly brushed with oil. Lightly brush dough with oil and cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for another 24 hours.
• Bring dough to room temperature one hour before shaping dough for pizza.