Peter Rinehart's Napoletana Pizza Dough

This is an Artisan dough-- if you like to wait til the last minute to make some dough for dinner-- this is not the one to use!! This is different as it has a delayed fermentation process- it was the first dough I have ever used that required chilled flour and ice cold water. You will have to read my critique below to see if I liked it or not!



Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough Recipe

Cookbook- taken from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten, bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting

1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.


MY COOKS TIPS: I made four different types of pizza doughs on this day- because I waited til Friday- this had to go in the fridge and we weren't able to use it the same night. In the recipe it says in fridge up to 3 days or freeze. I kept mine wrapped up in the fridge for six days then used it.

FAMILY CRITIQUE: This is definitely my personal current favorite. YUM! I really enjoyed it alot. Not sure if leaving in the fridge for 6 days instead of up to 3 had any affect on it or not. It didn't smell or taste yeasty. I thought it had a great texture. I baked a few pizzas on a stone in my 500 degree oven- I had preheated the stones an hour, so they were good and hot. Only took a few minutes for them to bake up. I wish our ovens went hotter than 500! Look forward to trying this on the grill. My husband said it would also be good for a breakfast pizza that I make with eggs, bacon and cheese. I made a special mushroom pizza for myself, tons of mushrooms sauteed up with garlic, onions, and grape tomatoes- with mozz and gouda. I thought the kids wouldn't touch it. Everyone loved it and finished up mine before they finished up the plain cheese and the bbq chicken. I have to make at least 2 bbq chicken pizzas every Friday for the boys. I will definitely make this again, even tho it isn't a fast dough. Try it!

California Pizza Kitchen crust w/ The Original CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza

We call Friday night Pizza Night in America at our house. If it were up to my husband and son Michael they would eat pizza several nights a week. Way back before I started making our own homemade dough, we would rotate around to different pizza places in the area to find our favorite pizza. We only do that now if I am too busy or tired to make pizza! Most doughs freeze very well however so as long as I remember to take a couple out of the freezer the day before, all is good! We are on a mission to find the best crust- of course we all have different taste buds!




COOKBOOK: The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook by Larry Flax & Rick RosenfieldCalifornia Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough


Makes dough for two 9-inch pizzas.

1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
1 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for coating

To Make The Dough

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure that the water is hot. Temperatures of 120 degrees F and above will kill the yeast, and your dough will not rise.

If using an upright electric mixer, such as a KitchenAid, use the mixing paddle attachment because the batch size is too small for the dough hook to be effective. Combine all other ingredients (except the additional teaspoon of olive oil) and combine them with the dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl. (Do not pour the salt directly into the yeast water because this would kill some of the yeast.) Allow these ingredients to mix gradually, use the lowest 2 speeds to mix the dough. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Over-mixing the dough will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause the dough to rise too fast.

If using a food processor, using a dough "blade" made of plastic rather than the sharp steel knife attachment, which would cut the gluten strands and ruin the consistency of the dough. Otherwise proceed as above. Be especially cautious not to mix too long with a food processor because the temperature resulting from the friction of mixing could easily exceed 120 degrees F, killing the yeast. Mix only until a smooth dough ball is formed.

If mixing by hand, place the dry ingredients in a 4 to 6 quart mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the liquids (reserving the teaspoon of olive oil). Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Once initial mixing is done, you can lightly oil your hands and begin kneading the dough. Knead for 5 minutes. When done the dough should be slightly tacky (that is, it should be barely beyond sticking to your hands).

Lightly oil the dough ball and the interior of a 1-quart glass bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and seal the bowl with clear food wrap. Seal airtight. Set aside at room temperature (70 to 70 degrees F) to rise until double in bulk - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

The dough could be used at this point, but it will not be that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become. Punch down the dough, re-form a nice round ball and return it to the same bowl. Cover again with clear food wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight, covered airtight.

About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble your pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to divide the dough into 2 equal portions (or 4 equal portions if making appetizer-size pizza or if smaller 6-inch pizzas are desired.)

Roll the smaller doughs into round balls on a smooth, clean surface. Be sure to seal any holes by pinching or rolling.

Place the newly-formed dough balls in a glass casserole dish, spaced far enough apart to allow for each to double in size. Seal the top of the dish airtight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature until the dough balls have doubled in size (about 2 hours). They should be smooth and puffy.

To stretch and form the dough for pizza

Sprinkle a medium dusting of flour over a 12 x 12-inch clean, smooth surface. Use a metal spatula or dough spacer to carefully remove a dough ball from the glass casserole dish, being very careful to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Place the floured dough on the floured smooth surface.

Use your hand or rolling pin to press the dough down forming a flat circle about 1/2-icnh thick. Pinch the dough between your fingers all around the edge of the circle, forming a lip or rim that rises about 1/4-inch above the center surface of the dough. You may continue this outward stretching motion of the hands until you have reached a 9-inch diameter pizza dough.

To dress the pizza

Lightly sprinkle cornmeal, semolina or flour over the surface of a wooden pizza peel. Arrange the stretched dough over the floured peel surface. Work quickly to dress the pizza so that the dough will not become soggy or sticky from the sauces and toppings.

When you are ready to transfer the pizza to the pizza stone in the pre-heated oven, grasp the handle of the peel and execute a very small test jerk to verify that the pizza will come easily off the peel. If the dough does not move freely, carefully lift the edges of the dough and try to rotate it by hand. Extreme cases may require that you toss more flour under the dough edges.

Once the dough is moving easily on the peel, open the oven and position the edge of the peel over the center of the stone about 2/3 from the front of the stone. Jiggle and tilt the peel to get the pizza to start sliding off. When the pizza begins to touch the stone, pull the peel quickly out from under it. Don't attempt to move the pizza until it has begun to set (about 3 minutes). The peel can be slid under the pizza to move it or remove it.


The Original CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro 1/2 cup your fav BBQ sauce small red onion1/4 “ sliced rings
1 diced chicken breast 2 TBS Smoked Gouda cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cook Chicken
1. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat.
2. Add chicken pieces and cook until done (about 6 minutes)
3. Coat chicken with 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce.
4. Chill in the refrigerator.
NOTE: An easy method is to use a store bought rotisserie chicken and you can skip these steps!


Build the Pizza
1. Spread 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over the top. Leave 1/2 in around the edges.
2. Add the cheeses. (leave ¼ cup mozzarella for the top)
3. Add your chicken.
4. Put onion rings on top. Sprinkle additional ¼ cup mozzarella on top
5. Bake in a 500 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro to taste.


MY COOKS TIPS: I had three leftover cooked chicken breasts in the fridge so I pulled those out and used those. I also doubled this recipe, so I could freeze some. OH-- my family also insisted I add pineapple to their pizza as that is how they love their bbq chicken pizzas-- so that is why you see it even tho it wasn't in the list of ingredients.

FAMILY CRITIQUE: Everyone thought the crust was okay-- except my son Michael-- he has now moved this crust up to his favorite. He didn't care for the cilantro on the pizza but he had about 6 slices so it must have not been horrible. lol I will have to make this crust again with the other crust he considered his favorite before- I won't tell him which is which- and have him do a taste taste! I have seen several variations of this online. Some use 2 cups of Gouda and then the smaller amount mozzarella. We like Gouda so I might try that next time.