Pizza Dough Mario Battali Recipes

PIZZA MARGHERITA RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the warm water, yeast, and sugar together. Place in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dough comes together and becomes difficult to stir.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with olive oil. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the towel and punch the dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, and shape each into a small ball.
• Place the formed balls onto a baking sheet and rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
• To shape the individual pizzas, press out the dough balls onto a lightly floured surface. Create a slightly thicker rim around the outside of the dough and continue to stretch into a 9- to 10-inch (23-25 cm) round.
• Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat, until the pan just begins to smoke, about 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer a stretched pizza round onto the hot pan. Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes (the dough should begin bubbling up) until lightly tanned with a few dark spots. Flip and continue to cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes longer, until the crust is completely dry.
• Remove the dough to rest on a wire rack and repeat with remaining dough.
• To finish the pizzas, top each crust with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella.
• Transfer to the oven and broil for 7 or 8 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the crust has developed a nice char in spots. Watch closely and move to a lower rack if necessary.
• Finish each pizza with fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt.
• Enjoy!

QUICK BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, oil, and salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and brush top with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 1 or 2 times before using.
• Dough can be stored in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic, in refrigerator up to 2 hours. To freeze, wrap dough in plastic and freeze in a resealable freezer bag up to 3 months. If you plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before freezing.

FAMILY PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk 1 1/4 cups warm water (95 degrees), yeast and sugar together in a bowl. Let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until yeast is foamy.
• In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add yeast mixture and oil. Using a wooden spoon, stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until mixture is too stiff to stir, then mix with your hands until dough comes together and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding only as much flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky. Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or overnight, until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough and turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. Divide into 8 pieces (about 4 ounces each) and shape each one into a ball. Cover with a tea towel and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Heat griddle pan over medium heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Dust a large work surface with a mixture of flour and semolina. Pick up one of the dough balls and begin to pull and stretch dough into a circle, then lay on work surface and press into a thin round (about 8 inches), adding only enough flour and semolina to keep dough from sticking. Using one hand as a guide, slope a slightly thicker rim all around dough circle. Work quickly, and be careful not to overwork dough; if it resists or shrinks back, let it rest briefly before proceeding. (If you prefer, you can roll out dough with a rolling pin; lightly flour work surface and pin.) For larger pizzas, use 2 dough balls.
• Carefully place dough round on griddle pan and cook until barely tan on first side and browned in a few spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip crust over and cook until second side is completely dry, about 1 minute.
• Transfer crust to a wire rack or a baking sheet, brushing off any excess flour, and allow to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. (Parbaked crusts can be refrigerated overnight or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 weeks.
• Top and broil each pizza: Heat broiler and place a pizza stone or baking sheet inside to heat. Spread a very light coating of pesto evenly on crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Scatter mozzarella over pesto. (Don't put toppings on crust until ready to broil, to avoid sogginess.)
• Place pizzas on hot stone or pan; slide under broiler, about 4 inches from heat source; and broil for 7 or 8 minutes (or as long as needed), until toppings are heated or cooked through, or both, and crust is charred and blistered in spots. Watch closely so that ingredients don't burn, and move pizza around or lower broiler rack if necessary. (Depending on topping, bottom of crust may start to become soggy; you can slip pizza back onto griddle momentarily to recrisp.) Cut into slices and serve hot.