00 Molino Flour Pizza Crust
When we were in Italy the crusts were distictly different from American crusts. We found they used a more finely ground flour to make a tastier, more crisp crust.
When we got back to the US, I ordered some 00 flour on the internet (Amazon). When I started looking for recipes I found a large varieties of formulas. Some were exact to the weight of ingredients to the gram, others were a "guideline". I am not an exact recipe type of cook, so here is what I'm doing.
Base internet recipes
"My Way"
I started with the ingredients from epicurious
- 500 g 00 flour (17.6 oz. or 1 lb. 1.6 oz.)
- 280 g water (9.9 oz.)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp instant yeast
Addition from Olivia's Cuisine:
- 1 tbsp honey
- Olive oil
I found the proportions are not that critical. I started with 1/2 of a kilo bag of flour (~1lb. 1oz.). For yeast I used a Fleishman's active dry yeast packet and followed the instructions to activate using some of the water. I used the honey instead of the sugar for the yeast. After the yeast solution was ready used it with the rest of the water.
I don't have a mixer with a bread dough hook. I opted to start mixing with a wooden spoon, and finished by hand kneading. It wasn't that hard and makes for good theater if you have an audience.
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl with the wooden spoon. If the dough is sticky add a little more flour. After it is not too sticky move dough to a flour dusted bread board. I have a granite counter so I dusted it and kneaded the dough on it until it has a good elastic feel. Form into a ball and lightly coat with olive oil. I like an infused oil like smoke, garlic, or butter. Experiment.
Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Keep the bowl in a warm area. My oven has a proof setting to do that. Let it rise for 1 to 2 hours until it doubles in size. Punch the dough to degas it, and divide it into the number of pizzas you want. Cutting in half will easily give 2 13 inch pizzas. Dividing in thirds will give 8-9 inch pizzas.
Let sit another hour before shaping. I have tried rolling and stretching, both work. Rolling I find best for round pizzas, stretching for rectangular. Be sure to coat your rolling pin with flour before rolling.
Preheat the oven. I've read temperatures anywhere from 425 to 800 and higher. I like 450.
I like to prebake the crust for 5-10 minute, to just as it starts to brown.
Add your favorite toppings: with sauce and cheese as the basis. I like peperoni, italian sausage, mushrooms, onion and black olives. My wife likes green, yellow and red bell peppers, onions, olives, mushrooms.
Bake until the cheese starts to brown. I make a thick pizza so it could take to 20 minutes. With a thin crust, few ingredients and high temperature it could be done in 3-5 minutes
Notes: the first time I tried the dough was sticky. I added a little flour and then kneading it in worked until the dough was no longer sticky.