New York White Pizza Recipes

NEW YORK-STYLE PIZZA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine oil, salt, yeast mixture and 1 cup flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 475°. Grease a 14-in. pizza pan. Roll dough to fit pan. Pinch edge to form a rim. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Spread with tomato sauce; top with cheeses, basil, oregano and pepper flakes. Bake on a lower oven rack until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA

Steps:

• Plan ahead. Make the dough at least a day before you intend to make pizza, to give it enough time to rise.Buy a food scale on which to weigh the ingredients for dough and toppings. It's a smart investment: In baking, weight is a more accurate measurement than volume.You will need a cooking surface. This could be a pizza stone or steel, or four to six unglazed quarry tiles measuring 6 inches by 6 inches from a building supply store. Whichever you use, heat in a very hot oven for at least an hour before cooking.
• Our best recipe for pizza dough is adapted from the one used at Roberta's, the pizza utopia in Bushwick, Brooklyn. It provides a delicate, extraordinarily flavorful dough that will last - and improve - in the refrigerator for up to a week. As ever with breads, rise time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen and refrigerator. But we generally allow it to go at least overnight. Those seeking gratification more quickly can turn to Mark Bittman's recipe for basic pizza dough, which rises in just a couple of hours.
• Allow for a minimum of three to four hours for your dough to rise. But planning further ahead pays dividends: You can store that dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, which means any weeknight can be pizza night.We put our pizza dough in the refrigerator to rise, placing the balls of dough on a floured baking pan covered loosely with a clean, damp kitchen towel. The chill leads to a slow rise, so we generally allow it to go overnight, or for at least six to eight hours. For a faster rise, leave the dough out on a countertop, similarly covered. It should be ready - that is, roughly doubled in size - in three or four hours.Time imparts a marvelous tanginess to pizza dough, but it extracts a price as well. What you want to avoid is a skin developing on the dough. When the dough has risen, if you are not going to use it right away, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or place it in a quart-size plastic bag. Pizza dough so wrapped will last in the refrigerator for three days or so. Another option is to freeze the dough using this incredibly easy freezer dough recipe. Make it, put it in the freezer in a freezer-safe plastic bag, and then move it to the refrigerator on the morning of the evening you want to cook.If you end up making pizza at least once a week, consider investing in a few pizza dough pans, available in restaurant supply stores.
• Shaping a pizza takes practice. The goal is to make a thin circle of dough, with a raised edge around circumference of the pie. Don't worry if that doesn't happen the first few times. Pizzas shaped like trapezoids or kites taste just as delicious.Working on a floured surface, with floured hands, softly pat down the risen ball of dough into a circle, rotating it as you do.Using the tips of your fingers, push down gently around the perimeter of the pie, rotating it as you do, to create the edge.Pick up the dough and lightly pass it back and forth between your palms, trying to rotate it each time you do, using gravity to help the dough stretch. At approximately 12 inches in diameter, the pizza is ready to go.Return the pizza to the floured surface, making sure that the side that you first pressed down upon remains facing upward, and gently slide the pie back and forth a few times to make sure that it does not stick. Add a little more flour to the surface beneath the pie if it does.Gently slide a lightly floured pizza peel beneath the pie, or place it carefully on a floured cutting board or the back of a baking pan. Make sure again that the dough can slide back and forth. If it does, the pie is certified for topping.
• The act of topping a pizza is a gentle one. Use a light touch. Above all, try not to overload the pie, particularly its center, which will lead to an undercooked crust. Two to three tablespoons of sauce are all you need, and perhaps a small drizzle of olive oil, accompanied by a couple of other toppings.Pizza sauce does not need to be cooked ahead of time, and is so simply prepared that there is no reason to use the store-bought variety. Instead, use a food processor to combine a can of whole, drained tomatoes with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.Spread the sauce out on the dough using the back of a spoon, stopping approximately 1/2 inch from the dough's edges. Do not use too much; two or three tablespoons is enough. Keep leftover sauce refrigerated.Mozzarella is the traditional pizza cheese, but depending on the sort of pie you are creating, really any good melting cheese will do: fontina, Cheddar, Colby, blue, provolone and smoked Gouda, among others, make for delicious pizzas.Meat on a pizza is an option for some. Sausage and meatballs are both traditional toppings and should be cooked beforehand. Pepperoni, ham and other cured meats do not need to be, though delicate sheets of air-dried beef or pork should perhaps go onto the pie midway through or at the end of the cooking process, lest they dry out in the heat.Anchovies are a marvelous addition to pizzas, and so are clams and mussels, even sheets of smoked salmon, particularly when paired with crème fraîche and capers.Making a fried egg breakfast pizza is not for freshman-class pizza makers. Sliding a pizza topped with a raw egg into a hot oven takes patience and practice. In the meantime, while your pizza is cooking, gently fry an egg in olive oil in a small skillet on the stove, and when the pizza is done, slide it gently on top of the pie.You can put anything on a pizza. The question is where, and when. Herbs can go below cheese to protect them from the heat of the oven, or onto the top of the pie when it's done. Pineapple can take heat like a fireman and can go on from the start, raw. Grapes can, too (a nice pairing for sausage). Mushrooms, though, should be cooked on the stovetop before you use them as a topping for pizza. Likewise peppers both red and green. (Thinly-sliced jalapeno pepper is an exception.) Potatoes can go on a pizza raw only if you're cooking in a very, very hot oven and you've sliced them very, very thinly - otherwise, parboil them before slicing and adding them to the top of a pie. Grilled asparagus is an excellent addition to a "white," or tomato-free pizza. We like thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, sometimes, on similar pies (pair with pancetta!), and leeks melted slowly over butter as well. As a rough guide: Precook anything that won't cook fast, or cut it so thinly that it will. Anything delicate, like a pile of arugula dressed simply in lemon juice and oil, can go on the pie when it's done, to cook gently in the pizza's residual heat.
• We cook most of our pizzas in the oven, on top of a stone or a steel. But you can bake pizza in a sheet pan as well, or grill it outdoors. You can even cook a pizza on a stovetop.To bake a pizza in an oven, you'll need either to do it on a stone or metal surface, or in a sheet pan. Either way, you should set the oven to its highest temperature and let it heat it for a full hour before you intend to cook.If you are using a pizza stone, steel or a set of tiles, begin by placing it on the middle rack of the oven before you turn it on, allowing it to preheat for a hour. When you're ready to cook, carefully place your shaped dough on a lightly floured pizza peel or cutting board, or on the back of a baking pan. Gently shake the peel, board or pan back and forth a few times to make sure the dough can move, then add your toppings.Pick up your pizza peel with the topped pie on top of it, and gently slide the pie onto the stone or tiles, starting at the back of the oven and working your way toward its front. Bake for about four to eight minutes, until the edges are a beautiful golden brown, and the sauce and cheese are bubbling nicely. Slide the peel back under the baked pizza to remove it from the oven, and then slide the pizza onto a cutting board, where it can be cut into slices.If you are using a sheet pan, lightly oil the pan, then stretch the risen dough into the shape of the pan, then top and place in the oven until golden brown and bubbling.Cooking a pizza on top of the stove is a simple way to get started in the pizza-making game, and a single ball of dough will yield two pan pizzas. Simply heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, then film it with olive oil. Take one half of a ball of risen pizza dough and press it out into a circle just smaller than the pan.When the oil shimmers, put the dough in the pan and adjust the heat so it browns evenly without burning. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Cook this round in the pan for a minute or so, then turn it over with the bottom is browned and cover with toppings. Either top the pan with a lid to melt the cheese or run it under a broiler to achieve the same result.Grilling pizza really means grilling one side of a flatbread over fire, then turning it over and topping it. And while you can certainly use our essential pizza dough recipe to do that, a sturdier dough recipe that is less prone to ripping will yield a better result.To cook a pizza on a grill requires some planning. You need to cook one side of the pizza before turning it over and topping it, and cooking the other side. So take time to assemble all the ingredients you'll need to make the pizzas beforehand.Prepare a hot fire; if your grill grate is clean, you shouldn't need to oil it. Slide the pizza dough from the peel onto the rack. After a few minutes, use tongs to lift the dough and check whether it's browning on the bottom. Watch closely so it doesn't burn. When it's nicely browned, use the tongs to flip the dough over, then brush it with olive oil and cover it with toppings. Place the lid on the grill for a few minutes more until the cheese is melted.

NEW YORK WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Position an oven rack on the second-lowest level in the oven and place a baking stone on the rack; position another rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat oven to 500°.
• Coat a 12-inch pizza screen or perforated pizza pan with cooking spray.
• Lay the dough on the prepared screen or pan and gently stretch dough into a 12-inch round.
• Top the pizza: brush the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil; spread the ricotta evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border.
• Sprinkle the garlic over the top; sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
• Crush the oregano between your fingers and sprinkle evenly over the cheese and crust.
• Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top.
• Place the pizza in the oven on the upper rack; bake about 8 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden brown.
• Using a pizza peel, lift the pizza off the screen/pan and place the crust directly on the baking stone; remove the screen/pan from the oven.
• Continue baking the pizza until the bottom of the crust is golden, about 3 minutes.
• Using the peel, remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.
• Slice pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and, if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Place the rolled out pizza dough onto a pizza peel or the back of a cookie sheet, dusted with cornmeal and using flour, as necessary, to help facilitate moving the dough. Sprinkle the pizza with the cheeses, oregano, salt and pepper. Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes, use the peel to turn the pizza around and back an additional, 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the pizza is golden. Sprinkle the cheese and olive oil over the pizza and serve immediately.
• In a large bowl combine yeast with water and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, olive oil, and half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly combine. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands, working to incorporate the flour little by little. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour, as necessary, to form a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Divide dough into 2 portions for 2 (12 to 14-inch) pizzas) and form into balls. (See note below for calzones.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer dough to a pizza peel (sprinkle with cornmeal to help facilitate moving dough) and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings and the thickness of the crust). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.
• Yield: 2 (12 or 14-inch) pizzas or 4 calzones, serving 4 to 6

NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the warm water in a large bowl. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir to dissolve. Mix in the flour, salt and olive oil. When the dough is too thick to stir, turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5 minutes. Knead in a little more flour if the dough is too sticky. Place into an oiled bowl, cover, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). If using a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven as well, setting it on the lowest shelf.
• When the dough has risen, flatten it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll or stretch out into a 12 inch circle, and place on a baking pan. If you are using a pizza stone, you may place it on a piece of parchment while preheating the stone in the oven.
• Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with oregano, mozzarella cheese, basil, Romano cheese and red pepper flakes.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bottom of the crust is browned when you lift up the edge a little, and cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

GREEN AND WHITE PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a pizza stone or tiles on the middle rack of your oven and turn heat to its highest setting. Let it heat for at least an hour.
• Break the mozzarella into small pieces and place them gently on the stretched dough. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt and scatter the Parmesan over the top.
• Using a pizza peel, pick up the pie and slide it onto the heated stone or tiles in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, approximately 4 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the arugula in a large bowl and dress it lightly with a splash of the olive oil, the lemon juice and a further pinch of salt, or to taste.
• When the pizza is done, put the dressed greens on top of the pie and serve immediately.