The Daring Bakers Strike Again! That’s A’more

This months Daring Bakers Challenge was to make homemade pizza. Not really a challenge, your thinking. Well, how about trying to toss a pizza like an authinic Pizziolo. Or, try tossing said pizza and getting a picture. Or better yet, try tossing said pizza and get a GOOD picture! Now thats a challenge.

This months DB challenge was hosted by Rosa of Rosa’s Yummy Yum. She was to co host with Glenna of A Fridge Full of Food and Sher of What Did You Eat? Tragically, Sher died on July 20Th of a massive heartattack. Nine days before her death, she suggested to Rosa about doing pizzeria style pizza. Today, thousands of DB’ers are honoring Sher.

To prove I got into the spirit, I give to you my one and only decent picture of dough flying through the air. What fun and nerve wracking those first few tosses were. But after awhile I was tossing out pizza faster then could blink an eye. A real pizzaiolo would have watched in envy. They were going higher and higher with each crust I threw. What a site I had going on in my kitchen. O.K, not really. But it makes for a better story so just keep that image in your head.

My first pizza pie was a rip off of my SIL’s idea. A couple of weeks ago, the darling daughter and I helped out at a wedding that my SIL catered. You see, she’s the best caterer around. She served a Gorgonzola, golden raisin and honey foccica that I just loved.

So I put it on my pizza and served this as my bread to one of our lovely Sunday suppers. I think it was a Sunday. It doesn’t really matter when, but it was a lovely supper. It was a hit!

My second pizza was a Mexican pizza. Salsa was my sauce, with seasoned taco meat, cheese, and a drizzle of sour cream. I was gonna put shredded cabbage on top but I forgot till it was cut and served. The Hubby said not to add it on his account, so I didn’t. This was a success also.

So I still have my breakfast pizza and my dessert pizza to offer up to you, BUT, unfortunately, their unassembled in the fridge. But they are there. So the beginning of November, whan you are all eating leftover Halloween candy for your quick meal, I’ll be enjoying fresh, tossed, homemade pizza. Just like the authentic Italian Pizzeria. Now that’s A”more!

~ BASIC PIZZA DOUGH ~

Original recipe taken from “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice”

by Peter Reinhart.

Makes 6 pizza crusts (about 9-12 inches).

Ingredients:

4 1/2 Cups bread flour or all purpose flour, chilled

1 3/4 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Instant yeast

1/4 Cup (2 ounces/60g) Olive oil or vegetable oil (both optional, but it’s better with)

1 3/4 Cups (14 ounces) Water, ice cold (40° F/4.5° C)

1 Tb sugar –

1. Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast in a big bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer).

2. Add the oil, sugar and cold water and mix well (with the help of a large wooden spoon or with the paddle attachment, on low speed) in order to form a sticky ball of dough. On a clean surface, knead for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are homogeneously distributed. If it is too wet, add a little flour (not too much, though) and if it is too dry add 1 or 2 teaspoons extra water

NOTE: If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for the same amount of time.The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, sprinkle in a little more flour, so that it clears the sides. If, on the contrary, it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water.The finished dough should be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50°-55° F/10°-13° C.

3. Flour a work surface or counter. Line a jelly pan with baking paper/parchment. Lightly oil the paper.

4. With the help of a metal or plastic dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you want to make larger pizzas).NOTE: To avoid the dough from sticking to the scraper, dip the scraper into water between cuts.

5. Sprinkle some flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Gently round each piece into a ball.NOTE: If the dough sticks to your hands, then dip your hands into the flour again.

6. Transfer the dough balls to the lined jelly pan and mist them generously with spray oil. Slip the pan into plastic bag or enclose in plastic food wrap.

7. Put the pan into the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight or for up to thee days.

NOTE: You can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag if you want to save some of the dough for any future baking. In that case, pour some oil (a few tablespoons only) in a medium bowl and dip each dough ball into the oil, so that it is completely covered in oil. Then put each ball into a separate bag. Store the bags in the freezer for no longer than 3 months. The day before you plan to make pizza, remember to transfer the dough balls from the freezer to the refrigerator..