Andrew Janjigian explains how to simulate a pizzaiolo’s professional oven at home with this simple, but surprising, tip.
Enjoy!
With thin-crust pies, fast is best. The trick is a hot oven, as high as it goes, baking on an upper rack—heat rises, and it’s reflected back onto the top of the pie from the ceiling, to cook the toppings quickly too—and a good baking surface, like stone, or better yet, steel, which conducts heat better than ceramic stone.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour, plus more for work surface (see note)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces) (see note)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.
2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
