Just dough it...

One of my life's missions is to find THE perfect pizza dough.
THAT'S a worthy pursuit, don't you think?  I mean, other people are trying to find a cure for cancer, the lost tribes of Zagawa, new natural resources, and so forth.  This pizza dough quest has really been neglected by well-meaning folks who are distracted by more lofty pusuits, so it's up to me to find it.

Last month, Bon Appetit offered up a cover with this pizza and the bold claim that within its pages was the secret that would enable me to "Make Pizza Like A PRO!"

Snagged.
I was immediately snagged by that headline, not to mention the puffy, yummy looking crust in the photo...
See for yourself:

Kinda makes you think you want to, NEED TO make pizza like a pro.  Tonight.

I happen to know another blogger, Tammi Grimm Littell, who is a food nut (I say that with all fondness as a fellow nut) and who has made it a monthly challenge to make the recipe off the cover of Bon Appetit when it comes.

Let it be said that I almost can't turn down a challenge.

It will be the death of me, because someday someone will challenge me to a wheelchair race in the nursing home, I'll miss the obvious corner because I've forgotten my little diamond cat eye glasses, and BAM! it'll be all over.  But what a way to go, huh?

Last night, after a pomegranate martini, I thought, "I'll take her challenge!  I WILL make the pizza dough!  And it will be the best in the world." (Thus ending the quest...)

I gathered all four ingredients, rubbed my hands together and made zee dough.

It WAS rather nice, but I was concerned about how little yeast there was.  It seemed proportionately wrong.

I read through the entire recipe (for the first time, mind you) and was shocked to discover that the dough had to rise at room temperature for.....get this.....

EIGHTEEN HOURS.

Eighteen hours!!!!

As Tammi said, after I relayed my dismay, "Who plans pizza 18 hours in advance?"

Apparently, the great Jim Lahey from whose book the dough recipe comes.

We're ALSO supposed to plan a relaxed, informal pizza party for the next evening in which the guests each assemble their own pizzas with ingredients like goat cheese, caramelized onions, pecans and so forth. Each pizza is to be cooked individually, on a pizza stone, until bubbly and crusty.  (See the picture; Exhibit A)

Now, I live 80 miles from goat cheese, don't have any takers on the caramelized onions, save myself, and it does NOT sound relaxing to cook 15 pizzas, one-by-one, all evening. 

I'm going to include the recipe with this post, Part One of two, so you can try it too.  You know, if you have an extra couple days...

I'm STILL waiting on the dough, although it's riz (from Little Women) and is now sitting in the refrigerator for our supper.  I'll take pictures so you can see if it was a win or a fail. 

Ingredients


•7 1/2 cups (1000 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for shaping dough


•4 teaspoons fine sea salt plus more for seasoning


•1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast




Preparation


No-Knead Dough


•Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°) in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room).


•Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.


•Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2–3 hours before shaping.

(I halfed the recipe, not being quite ready to host a relaxed, informal party on an untried dough...)

To Make the Pizzas

• During the last hour of dough's resting, prepare oven: If using a pizza stone, arrange a rack in upper third of oven and place stone on rack; preheat oven to its hottest setting, 500°–550°, for 1 hour. If using a baking sheet, arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to its hottest setting, 500°–550°. (You do not need to preheat the baking sheet.)
• Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a floured work surface. Gently shape dough into a 10"–12" disk.
• If using a pizza stone: When ready to bake, increase oven heat to broil. Sprinkle a pizza peel or rimless (or inverted rimmed) baking sheet lightly with flour. Place dough disk on prepared peel and spread about 3 Tbsp. crushed tomatoes over dough. Tear or crumble some mozzarella over top. Using small, quick back-and-forth movements, slide pizza from peel onto hot pizza stone. Broil pizza, rotating halfway, until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, 5–7 minutes. Using peel, transfer to a work surface. Spoon a few dollops of stracciatella over pizza. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt. Slice pizza. Repeat, allowing pizza stone to reheat under broiler for 5 minutes between pizzas.