OK. Let me just start by saying that my blog has majorly sucked lately. Not that it’s any real excuse, but my laptop (on which I do the vast majority of my work) has some sort of virus, and its performance is just getting worse with each start up that takes so long, I can feel myself age a bit by the time I’ve logged into my email. I’ve tried to work with it, hobbled, for over a month now. My network administrator, which is to say, Frank (who gets paid in Wimpy burgers) has not been able to force the laptop into submission by dumping off everything that I do not need (must stop downloading mind-numbing games like ‘Ravenhurst”), running scans, checking for worms or flies or I don’t know…insects with exoskeletons that have invaded via a Trojan Horse (or got injected into the grid somehow). It hasn’t worked. And, I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay a couple hundred bucks to take the 3-year old thing to the Geek Squad. I mean, at that age, my laptop should have an AARP card and get a senior’s discount, but I know that won’t happen. And, if we don’t find our original software to re-install and start from scratch, then, it’s time to not only retire my most recent laptop, it’s time to say “good-bye” to PC’s, and say “hello lover” to a Mac-you know-like Carrie Bradshaw wistfully gazing at her next at her next pair of Jimmy Choos. More expensive? Oh yes, but I’m not holding back this time!

(Oh, please…oh, please!, let one of the dogs have eaten the software!)

So, this has all been overall, a bit of an inconvenience, trying to download photos, fix ‘em up and make ‘em purdy, re-size them, post them and then get one whole blog entry finished. But, we also have a computer in our office, so that’s why my excuse works as bad as my PC. I promise-I’ll be better. And more tech-savvy.

Now how about food? First, a confession; I’ve never made my own pizza dough. Nope. I’ve been buying dough from The Italian Store-it’s very good and inexpensive. But on a recent visit there, I decided to pick up a package of “00″ (double zero) flour which is finely milled and very soft flour. However, not all “00″ flours are alike. The protein content can vary, from lower protein to yield a Neopolitan crust, to higher protien, to yield a more “NY-style” pizza. The brand that I bought is Molino Antimo Caputo, and the exact type is “00-Chef”, or “The Chef’s Flour”. It has, I believe, a protein content of 11.5%-12%. I say that because it’s hard to get exact information when there are so many flours out there, with Molino producing several suitable for pizza, among other things. Plus, as I am doing some research into the flours which home pizza-makers use, I am finding that it’s pretty serious out there folks. I mean, some people use like test tubes and beakers and stuff, and let their pizza dough “cold-rise” for days, and have cookers that can blast to 900 degrees!

Then there’s me. I just want to make a pizza and eat it, and really just want it not to suck. So where do I turn? A trusty Food Network veteran, Tyler Florence and his “Food 911″ show. I remember catching an episode a couple of years ago where he went to this guy’s house, and they made pizza, pizza and more pizza for his family and friends. Everone raved-especially about the crust. So, I thought I’d look up the recipe and put my “00″ flour to work for me.

Here is the recipe from the Food Network site. I added only 2 1/2 cups of flour, and had some ice water on hand to give the dough more moisture to get a ball to come together. I used probably about 2-3 tablespoons of ice water to achieve this. Once the dough came together in a ball, released from the dough hook, and “thwacked” around the edge, I knew it was ready to turn out.

Pizza Dough

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Serves:

3 pizza crusts

 Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it’s crumbly, add more water; if it’s sticky, add more flour – 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.

Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.

Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

What I liked about making this dough is how relatively quick it is-you can have pizza on your table in about 90 minutes. This is perfect for allowing a pizza stone to heat up, especially if you are using your oven. I make my pizzas on my grill, and had the heat cranking to around 600-650 degrees. The crust came out thin, crispy and charred just-so.

I decided to top my pizzas with some fresh market ingredients. The first pie was made with beet greens and mushrooms sauted in butter, evoo, garlic, anchovy paste and hit with freshly grated nutmeg at the end. I used fresh Blue Ridge Dairy Ricotta and shredded mozzerella to top it off. The second pie was a classic Margherita, with canned Soprano tomatoes that had been “doctored up” with dried herbs, evoo and garlic. Then the pie was topped with fresh Blue Ridge Dairy mozzarella, shredded mozzarella and fresh basil.

My last third of the dough is frozen. I think I might make a dessert pizza with the remaining ricotta, some fresh blueberries and mint. I’m still thinking on that one…

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Tags: pizza, Recipe // 3 Comments »