Friday, April 10, 2009

Dough...Pizza, Stromboli, use your imagination




I have found a wonderful yummy pizza dough and have used it recently for pizza-ettes (personal little pizzas) and stromboli for the last 2 nights.

Warning: you have to make it 24hrs before you need the dough, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months!
(I normally cut recipe in half and it's enough for 2 small pizzas and 1 stromboli)
4 1/2 c APF flour, chilled
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast (I'm partial to Fleischmans)
1/4 c. EVOO
1 3/4 c ice cold water (I keep a gallon in the fridge for this very purpose!)
corn meal for dusting

1. In big bowl mix together flour, salt and yeast. Gradually, using a wooden spoon or one hand mix in the EVOO and water, work dough in a circular fashion until it's mixed well (5-7 min); it should clear the sides but not the bottom, add water/flour as needed for the right consistency. Your dough should be smooth, elastic and slightly sticky (not tacky)...really it's fine if it's smooth and elastic-y...
2. Knead it a little more.
3. Divide dough into 4 equal parts, grab 4 ziplock bags sandwich/freezer size and put a tsp or 2 of EVOO in each one. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and drop one into each bag, be sure the whole dough ball is coated with oil. Put them in the fridge overnight (good for up to 3 days) or freezer (for 3 months)
4. The NEXT DAY: Remove the dough 2 1/2 hours before you plan to need it; remove from bag and place it on a greased piece of aluminum foil, allow it to rest, thaw and rise for 2 hours.
PRE HEAT OVEN TO 500 degrees F!
5. Then cover a part of counter space (or large piece of aluminum foil--recommend this) with corn meal, plop down the dough in the middle and use your hands to moosh it out into a round shape about 1/4-1/2" thick...be sure to push the middle out to the edges it can get thick. You never want a thick middle! (NOTE: IF you're making stromboli do not use the corn meal, simply grease the counter top, roll dough out with rolling pin to a 1/8" thick rectangle and preheat your oven to only 375 degrees F). Allow the dough to sit like this for a few min (15-20) while you get your toppings ready!
6. Place do the dough on a cookie sheet and put thin layer of sauce, your choice of topppings (wait for the cheese). Bake for 3-4 min. Remove, top with cheese and return to oven for 5-7 min more...keep an eye on it!

If you're making stromboli: sprinkle your choice of ingredients over the rolled out dough, think like you're making cinnamon rolls. I do not recommend using sauce or fresh/canned tomatoes. We used shrooms (canned, DRAINED well), onions, pepperoni, fresh spinach and mozarella). then begin on one edge and roll it up like a jelly roll, pinch the seams to seal it, place on cookie sheet and bake 375 F for 30 min or so.

Serve with Salad or marinara sauce or whatever you want!

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