Let's Have a Pizza Party!

Cooking Instructions

1) To set up: Brush the interior of a 5-quart mixing bowl generously with olive oil and set aside for rising dough.

2) To assemble liquid mixture: Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups lukewarm water, 1 generous tbsp of the olive oil, salt, the 2 teaspoons sugar, and pepper, if using. When yeast mixture is creamy and starting to bubble, add to mixing bowl and briskly stir in just enough bread flour, a little at a time, to create a mass that is not easily stirred in the bowl. Turn out dough onto a lightly flour wooden board. Using toured hands, knead dough in a brisk push-fold-and-turn motion, until perfectly smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add only as much additional flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking to your hands and work surface. Use a pastry scraper while kneading to scrape dough off board cleanly as you continue to knead in a sufficient amount of flour.

3) To rise dough twice: Place dough in the prepared rising bowl and turn to coat it with olive oil. Cover bowl with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and then with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down dough with several swift swats with the back of your hand until dough is totally deflated. Although dough can be used right away, it's preferable to refrigerate it for at least 1 hour and as long as 2 days before shaping crusts. (This chilling relaxes this high-gluten dough so it won't fight back so much when being stretched into shape and the extra time allows the dough to develop a deeper, more satisfying flavor.)

4) To set up to prebake crusts: Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and, if using, place a sheet of quarry tiles or a large pizza stone onto rack. Preheat the oven to 450F for at least 30 minutes before baking. Lightly brush both perforated pizza pans with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal; tilt to coat pans and tap out excess meal. If using, set eggwhite glaze and sesame seeds next to your work surface.

5) To shape pizza dough: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board and gently knead just to release air pockets. Using the blade of a pastry scraper, divide dough into 2 equal pieces. If dough is not chilled, cover and let rest for 10 minutes to relax dough. If not working with a double oven and thus can only bake 1 crust at a time, return half the dough to the bowl, cover and refrigerate until the first pizza crust goes into the oven. Pat the remaining half dough into a low round on the floured work surface.

6) To stretch dough: Spread the fingers of your hand and smack dough several times until visibly flattened but still round. Flour your fists, lift up dough and drape it (centered) over your floured fists. Stretch dough by pointing your fists upward and gently pulling them away from each other. Take care to stretch evenly; if dough starts to feel bottom heavy and is becoming too thin, lay it on your work surface, rearrange it, then lift and continue to stretch. Use as much flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking to your hands, which can cause it to tear.

7) To place dough in pan: Lay stretched dough in the prepared pan, arranging it so the edges of dough meet the rim. Press and pat out dough until it totally covers the pan, building up the rim of dough so it's a little thicker and higher than the interior of the circle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just not overly thick in one spot and paper thin in another. If dough resists at any point, just throw a towel over it for 5 minutes. If dough should tear, just pinch it together with floured fingertips. And if the rim seems too thin, simply fold 1 inch of the edge over onto itself and press to adhere.

8) To prepare crust for prebaking: Brush the interior of the circle (excluding the 1-inch rim) with some olive oil and prick the oiled section of the dough deeply all over with a docker or the prongs of a large fork. Sprinkle oiled dough with freshly ground black pepper. If desired, brush the raised rim of dough with egg white glaze and sprinkle rim generously with sesame seeds.

9) To prebake crust: Place 4 ice cubes into a 1-cup measuring cup and add enough cold water to measure 1/4 cup. Prick the interior surface of crust once more and place pizza pan directly on hot tiles, stone or oven rack. Immediately toss ice water onto the oven floor, underneath the tiles, and shut the oven door. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven using a baker's peel and place it on a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, as crust is baking, remove the reserved half of dough from refrigerator and prepare the second crust completely through the preceding step. As soon as you remove the first crust from the oven, prick the second crust again, place in oven and administer ice water as directed above.

10) To set up for baking topped pizza: After prebaking, the crust is sealed, so if you like, you may remove quarry tiles or pizza stone from oven. If baking 2 pizzas in the same oven, position oven racks to the upper and lower thirds; if using a double oven, use the center rack for each pizza. Preheat oven to 450F until very hot.

11) To prepare topping: Scatter some grated cheese over the interior of the prebaked crust. Spoon or ladle about 1 cup tomato sauce on top of cheese (not too much or your pizza will be soupy). Spread sauce over crust, stopping just before the rim. Scatter one or more of the suggested toppings over sauce, along with chopped basil leaves. Scatter half of the grated cheese over the top, allowing some of the toppings to be visible through cheese. Drizzle 1 teaspoon fruity olive oil over pizza and then finally top with some sliced pepperoni, if desired. Grind on some fresh black pepper. Repeat with the remaining pizza.

12) To bake and serve completed pizza: Bake in the hot oven until crust is deeply golden, toppings are piping hot and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. If using the same oven for both pizzas, switch positions of pies after half the baking time for even heat exposure. To serve, insert a baker's peel under the pizza pan and place the pie on a solid (nonperforated) pizza pan. Slice into wedges using a pizza wheel and serve immediately.

Wine Pairing(s)

Chiopris Pinot Grigio

Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio

Forest Glen Pinot Grigio

Cavallotto 'Vigna Scot' Dolcetto d'Alba

Fairview Viognier

Chilean Sea Bass Chardonnay

Chateau Moncontour Vouvray 'Demi Sec'

Ruffino Aziano

Rivetto Barbaresco 'Ce Vanin'

Vivalda Barbera d'Asti