Pizza!!!!

Italian pizza has been a basic staple of my life.

Pizza is easy, yummy, good for every occasion and loved by everyone!

When it is made right it tastes just like doughy heaven, but even if you don’t reach perfection it is forgiving enough that it will taste very good even with a few mistakes.

There are only a few rules that you should absolutely respect. Great pizza starts with quality ingredients. Good tomatoes are a must, San Marzano are the traditional tomatoes used for pizza and are my first choice, but a can of good quality crushed tomatoes will do. Oregano and extra virgin olive oil are also  key ingredients. And last but not least mozzarella; this has to be real mozzarella, in water. Please avoid anything pre-grated, because the process to preserve pre-grated cheese includes a coating of corn flour to prevent “caking” (sticking) and often mixed with cellulose (basically sawdust), as a result this process effects the way the cheese melts and not in a good way. Mozzarella should not be grated at all, but broken into chunks and dispersed over the pizza.

I often get requests to make pizza at someone else’s home or for a party and every oven cooks in a very different way.

For this reason, out of necessity I have come up with this recipe through trial and error. You won’t need mixers, or starters, and it can be done in a pinch when you are at your in-laws or friends party and you want pizza within 3 or 4 hours. All personal experiences of mine:)

Just get a big bowl, pour the water in, add the yeast, the salt, olive oil and let the flour hydrate for 10 minutes (autolyse). Then get a fork and start mixing it. It will be sticky but don’t add any flour to it. Use your right hand to mix the dough while keeping your left hand clean and mix until pretty smooth, use your left hand to clean up the stickiness from your other hand and cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm place for at least 2.5 hours.

You can also make it ahead and let it rise in the fridge overnight.

The easiest way to make pizza with method is in a cold cast iron skillet, you will need one that is 12" or larger.

When your dough is ready flour a surface and divide into two balls, flatten with your hands and spread with a rolling pin almost as wide as the pan. Transfer the rolled pizza dough into the skillet. Top with crushed tomato, mozzarella, olive oil, oregano and few ingredients of choice like mushroom, sausages, salami, cheeses or whatever you want. You can also top it with ingredients once it comes out of the oven, like prosciutto, pesto, fresh tomatoes, arugula or whatever you like.

This dough is specifically made to work in every oven, the best oven would be a wood fired oven, but if your oven gets hot enough you could try with a pizza stone. you may also choose to grill it, or my favorite at home, sear the bottom in a hot cast iron skillet and broil the top. With some practice you could come up the best pizza you have ever tasted.

Enjoy!!

Also if you need a Cast iron Skillet those are my favorites: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet