Thin Pizza Crust Pizzeria Bianco Phoenix Recipes

THIN-CRUST PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water in a bowl. Let stand until yeast forms a creamy foam, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Mix 1 3/4 cup flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in yeast mixture; mix well until dough comes together.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding remaining 1/4 cup flour if dough is too sticky, about 2 minutes. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a greased pizza pan.

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).

THIN PIZZA CRUST - PIZZERIA BIANCO, PHOENIX

Steps:

• Place pizza stone on lowest rack and preheat oven to 500F (allow 1 hour for pizza stone to heat).
• Stir together yeast, 1 T flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a measuring cup and let stand until mixture develops a cream foam on surface, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.).
• Stir together 1 1/4 cups flour with salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 cup warm water and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (about 1/2 cup) to make dough come away from sides of bowl. (Dough will be wetter than other pizza doughs you may have made.).
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands (reflour hands when dough becomes too sticky) until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball, put on a lightly floured surface, and generously dust with flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 hours. Dust a wooden peel or a lage baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal.
• Do not punch down dough. Carefully dredge dough in a bowl of flour to coat and transfer to a dry work surface. Holding one edge of dough in the air with both hands and letting bottom just touch the work surface, carefully and quickly move hands around edge of dough (like turning a steering wheel), allowing weight of dought to stretch round to roughly 10 inches. Lay dough flat on peel or baking sheet.
• Continue to work edge of dough with your fingers, stretching it into a 14-inch round.
• Brush dough with olive oil (about 1 T), leaving a 1-inch border. Scatter toppings over dough.
• Line up far edge of peel with far edge of stone in sove and tilt peel, jerking it gently to start pizza moving. When edge of pizza touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer pizza to stone (do not pull back pizza).
• Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling, 10-12 minutes. Slide peel under pizza to remove from oven.

EASY 30-MINUTE PIZZA DOUGH II

Steps:

• In a large bowl, place the warm water in first then the honey.
• Sprinkle the yeast on top, agitate the bowl slightly if you have to so the yeast gets immersed in the water. Wait 10-15 minutes or until foamy.
• Add the oil and salt.
• Blend in the flours and knead until elasticy, about 5 minutes or so.
• Cover with parchment paper or a dish towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes.
• Spray a cookie sheet, pizza stone, or round baking dish with cooking spray and put some dough in and you're set!
• I get about 3-4 little pizzas out of this amount of dough; it's thicker than my other pizza dough recipe.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't appear creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.)
• Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Make tomato sauce while dough rises:
• Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.
• Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.
• Heat pizza stone while dough rises:
• At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.
• Shape dough:
• Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary.
• Assemble pizza:
• Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.
• Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.

ROMAN-STYLE THIN-CRUST PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Divide dough in half. On a piece of parchment dusted with semolina, roll one piece of dough into an approximately 9-by-15-inch oval. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet or pizza peel. Spread half of alfredo sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lower third lined with a pizza stone or baking sheet. Divide dough in half. On a piece of parchment dusted with semolina, roll one piece of dough into an approximately 9-by-15-inch oval. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet or pizza peel. Spread half of alfredo sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Ricotta-Peas-Prosciutto: Dollop half of ricotta, in small spoonfuls, evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top evenly with half of peas and lightly drizzle with oil. Slide pizza (still on parchment) onto stone. Bake until crust is golden brown in places and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a board; top with half of prosciutto or arugula, if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.
• Spinach-Parmigiano-Pepper Flakes: Top evenly with half of spinach, cheese, and pepper flakes; lightly drizzle with oil. Slide pizza (still on parchment) onto stone. Bake until crust is golden brown in places and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a board; top with half of prosciutto or arugula, if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.
• Potato-Red Onion-Arugula: Top evenly with half of potatoes, then half of onion and cheese. Slide pizza (still on parchment) onto stone. Bake until crust is golden brown in places and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a board; top with half of prosciutto or arugula, if using. Slice and serve. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings.