Delicious when topped with only tomato and cheese – the way the Neapolitan bakers in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century used to prepare it. At times, we mix things up and add a variety of differenttoppings. Some of our favorites toppings are proscuitto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and red onions; and Pear & Gorgonzola.
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon King Arthur Easy-Roll Dough Improver OR 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
- 3 cups King Arthur Italian-Style Flour*
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
*King Arthur Flour’s Italian-style 00 flour is the best choice for super-thin-crust pizza, as its lower protein level allows you to stretch it very thin indeed, with no fighting back. If you only have all-purpose flour, be aware that to stretch it thin, you’ll need to stretch it, then let it rest; stretch, then rest, until it’s as thin as you like. In addition, you’ll need to increase the amount of water to 1 cup.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl (or in a bread machine set on the dough/manual cycle), stir together all of the ingredients, then knead for 5 minutes, or long enough to make a fairly firm yet supple dough.
Divide the dough in half. Cover each half with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest and relax for 15 minutes (or longer, for added flavor).
Grease two sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper. Put a piece of dough on one piece of greased paper, then cover with the other piece of paper, greased side down. Roll the dough about 1/8″ thick, making a circle (which may escape the confines of the paper), an oval, or whatever irregular shape you like. Let the dough rest in the paper for 5 minutes; this will help prevent it from shrinking. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a lower rack. If you don’t have a pizza stone, prepare two baking sheets or large round pizza pans by lightly greasing them, or lining with parchment. (Or, if you’ve rolled the dough between pieces of parchment rather than waxed paper, you can simply use these to line your pans.)
If you’re using a pan, transfer the dough, bottom piece of parchment and all, to the pan. If you’re baking on a stone, remove the top piece of parchment, but leave the bottom piece. If you’ve used waxed paper, peel it off and discard it; it’s not oven-safe like parchment is.
While the oven is heating, let the dough rest, covered, for about 30 minutes; or for up to several hours, if you like a slightly thicker crust.
Uncover the dough, and place it in the oven. After 5 minutes, remove it from the oven, and top it with tomato sauce, garlic, and cheese.
Return the pizza to the oven; bake for an additional 5 minutes, then rotate the pans from top to bottom and back to front. Bake 5 minutes more, if necessary, or until the crust is brown.
9) Remove the pizzas from the oven, and transfer them to a rack. Slice and serve.
Yield: 2 large pizzas, about 16 slices total.
Source: King Arthur Flour, original recipe found here.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/thin-crust-pizza-reci
