Homemade Pizza

Margarita  Pizza (Basil and Buffalo mozzarella cheese) 

This past May I went to Florence Italy where I took a cooking class on how to make Pizza and gelato. I had made quite a few pizzas before this trip but had never mastered the crust. I decided I needed some professional Italian help and found it at the cooking courses In Travola (www.intravola.org) .

How to make a good Crust

It is very important that you give yourself plenty of time for the dough to rise (at least 4 hours for the complete process).

Ingredients

4 cups flour

½ a teaspoon dry active yeast

1 ½ plus two tablespoons water

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Begin by placing the flour into a large mixing bowl, create a well in the mound of flour and add the yeast and sugar with a few tablespoons of warm water into the well (by using warm water this helps to activate the yeast). Start to mix adding the water slowly (make sure the water is either slightly warm or at room temperature). Add the salt and oil towards the end because the salt will kill the yeast if added too early. Continue kneading the dough for ten minutes. You should have smooth dough at the end.

Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl with a damp dish towel covering the top to retain heat and moisture. You should place this bowl in a warm place for at least three hours, I tend to heat my oven on the lowest temperature then switch it off and let the dough sit inside. My instructor in Italy told the class that his mom likes to put the pizza dough at the foot of the bed under all the covers to keep it warm, so really whatever works for you.

After about three hours your dough should have risen to at least twice its original size, take it out and punch it down. Leave the dough to rise one hour more after this.

If you make the dough the day before you would like to use it you may store it in the fridge overnight, just make sure it is wrapped well in plastic so it does not dry out.

Sauce

500g canned peeled whole tomatoes (drained slightly)

Two cloves garlic finely chopped

One tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a sauce pan sauté the garlic in the olive oil, then add the tomatoes, oregano and salt and pepper. Let the mix simmer for about ten minutes, then using a hand blender purée the mix to create a nice pizza sauce.

Putting it all together

Preheat your oven to 450F-500F depending on the thickness of your pizza crust (for thin crust a high temperature is fine, also if you have a pizza stone your pizza will cook faster).

Divide your pizza dough into two or three balls depending on your preferred thickness of crust. Gently using your hands work the pizza dough into a round. Oil the crust slightly to prevent burning. Then add the sauce and cheese and your preferred toppings. For an Amazing Italian style pizza, only use fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and not the processed type. 

Caramelized red onions with buffalo mozzarella and blue cheese.

                                                                      Buon Appetito!