Since we moved to NDG our decent take out options were significantly limited and weekend consumption of pizza increased as a result. It’s easily the cheapest thing you can order when you’re too lazy to cook. To compensate for this trend, I’ve started preparing pizza dough on Thursday to have properly proofed in the refrigerator by Saturday when hunger strikes and I don’t feel like heating up a pan.

My usual pizza dough was always measured by eye and the results were never consistent. I have made pizza this way for years without bothering to change my habit until recently, when I set out to find a reliable recipe I could stick to that made the type of pizza I actually wanted to eat on a regular basis. Enter Peter Reinhart’s recipe for Neapolitan pizza dough, which is not only more enjoyable to eat, but make.

This recipe schooled me in two things about bread that I never really paid attention to before. The first is that you don’t have to use warm water to make it. The recipe calls for water 18 degrees Celcius (65 degrees Fahrenheit), which is a bit cooler than room temperature.

The second is that adding oil to the dough shortens the gluten strands, which makes it tender and flavorful but difficult to hand-knead to pass the “windowpane test” (where you pull the dough until its translucent enough to see through in order to determine the gluten strands have developed well).

To remedy this, I portion the dough, roll it into balls and coat it liberally with extra virgin olive oil, then place each ball into a sandwich bag. These individual dough balls can be frozen or left in the fridge for a couple of days and only improve in flavor. A six ounce ball rolls out to about an 8″ pizza and eight ounces about a 10″ pizza. I find baking pizzas larger than that just makes a mess of my baking stone. Speaking of which, mine now has a large crack down the middle of it from thermal shock after mozzarella dripped onto it. Is there a way to prevent such a thing from occurring if I purchase a replacement?

Neapolitan Pizza Dough

• 22 1/2 ounces (about 5 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon instant (NOT dry active) yeast
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons room temperature water
• a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and gradually incorporate the water. Stir together until it forms a rough ball, then set aside for five minutes.
2. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until it comes together to form a smooth, cohesive ball. Check to see if it passes the “windowpane test” (stretch a small piece to see if you can see through it), if not, continue to knead until it does. Invert the bowl and cover the dough with it, leaving it to rest for half an hour.
3. Weigh the total dough and divide it into equal portions according to how large you’d like your pizzas to be (I recommend about eight ounces for a 10″ pizza). Roll each of those portions into a ball.
4. Coat sandwich bags with extra virgin olive oil and seal the dough balls individually inside. Place these in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator two hours before you want to bake them. To prepare the dough, coat it lightly in flour, dusting off the excess, then roll out as thinly as possible. Use the hottest oven temperature you can attain, with a baking stone or thick inverted baking sheet arranged in the bottom third of the oven.

This makes about six 6 ounce pizzas or roughly four 8 ounce ones.

For the simplest of Neapolitan pizzas, the Martguerita, spread crushed tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil onto a rolled out crust, portion torn fresh mozzarella/boccoccini on top and bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is puffed and golden, about 5-6 minutes in a 500 degree oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing, so the cheese sets and the crust has a chance to rest. Dust with dried oregano and/or chilies and brush the crust with a cut clove of garlic, if desired.

I’ve had a tin of olive oil packed mackerel in my cupboard for months that I bought with the intention of eating with some scrambled eggs. Even when I pulled this out of the cupboard and set by the stove so I’d remember to use it in the morning, it just always seemed like too much trouble. Instead, I decided to make a blanco pizza incorporating all of the ingredients I know mackerel loves.

It’s funny how our first food memories will affect our perception of ingredients for our entire lives. For mackerel, the first time I had ever eaten it was in a Japanese restaurant where it’d been pan-fried in oil yielding an incredibly crispy skin, which was served with a soy and scallion based sauce. It took me forever to realize that mackerel was a universal fish and took kindly to many different ingredients, but specifically, like all fish, it is wonderful with garlic, lemon, greens and herbs.

If you’re not apt to make your own aioli for this recipe you could substitute store bought, or simply whisk together a garlic-infused oil for great but different results. The great thing about homemade aioli in this instance is that no one will get freaked out about the raw egg, since everything is cooked in the oven. You might, however, have a bit of a problem convincing people that this seafood-based, tomatoless pizza is, in fact, pizza — as this kind of cookery isn’t particularly common in North America. This is a shame, as this was my wife’s introduction to mackerel and such adored it and I shared some with my neighbor as well, who promptly declared that I must make this for her whole family the next time they visit. This pizza might not look like much, but it is absolutely packed with flavor!

Mackerel, Pea and Arugula Pizza

Pizza Dough (for 2 pizzas)

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup whole wheat bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 cups all purpose flour

1. Pour the warm water in a large bowl and dissolve the yeast and honey into it. Let sit until it gets foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the whole wheat flour and half of the olive oil. Then, add the salt, and gradually incorporate enough of the all purpose flour so that the dough starts to come away from the bowl.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, then roll into a ball. Pour the remaining olive oil into a clean bowl, coat the dough ball in the oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm place and allow to double in bulk, about 1-2 hours.
4. When the dough has risen, divide into two balls and place on a sheet pan. Lightly brush with oil, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Optionally, prepare the aioli and proceed to make your pizza. I do recommend letting the dough rest in the fridge though, as it measurably improves both flavor and texture.

Aioli

• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Make sure the garlic has been crushed to a paste, then whisk it together with the egg yolk and Dijon mustard until well incorporated. You can also do this in a blender.
2. Gradually, drop by drop, whisk in the olive oil, making sure that each drop gets emulsified into the egg before adding more oil. Once all of the olive oil has been incorporated, pour the vegetable oil in a steady stream while whisking constantly, stopping to whisk in any separating oil, if necessary. Add the lemon juice and season liberally with salt and pepper. If you’re not using this immediately, refrigerate it until ready to use.

Pizza Toppings

• 120g tin of mackerel in olive oil
• 4 ounces mozzarella, provolone and/or fontina, grated
• 1 cup sweet pea pods, roughly chopped
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese curls (use a vegetable peeler on a large block)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. If it has been chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator at least an hour before you’re ready to bake the pizzas.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a pizza stone or inverted sheet pan inside on a rack positioned at its lowest setting.
3. Take a ball of dough and cover it lightly with all purpose flour, shaking off any excess. Press flat and roll to 1/8″-1/4″ thickness, depending on how crackery you like your crust (the thinner, the crispier).
4. Transfer the dough to the preheated stone or pan and, quickly, spoon aioli over the dough, leaving a 1/2″ border for a crust. Evenly disperse the mackerel and mozzarella, then bake the pizza until golden and bubbly, about 7-8 minutes.
5. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, prepare a salad of the sweet peas, arugula, olive oil and lemon juice with a pinch of salt and pepper. Slice the pizza, cover with Parmesan curls and pile high with the arugula salad. Eat immediately.

I have a summer barbecue checklist that I’m slowly ticking away and will likely never complete because it’s constantly expanding. My own barbecue needs had been placed momentarily on hold since my neighbors bought a propane gas grill this weekend and we’ve been using that instead. They left town for a couple of days and us in charge of their dwelling, so naturally I made use of their barbecue for something I thought my charcoal pit wouldn’t be that well suited for, and cooked up some pizzas.

The first (and only) time I made pizza on the barbecue was in 2006 for the Different Dinner Project and it turned out okay. I’m thinking that perhaps I may have embellished its deliciousness to myself at the time because it was the only pizza I was allowed to eat that year. I’ve since eaten real Neapolitan style pizza and never really want to eat anything else, but the only way I can see to capture that flavor and texture is achievable with incredibly high heat. The barbecue, I hoped, would allow that. It did get about 150 degrees hotter than my oven — a little over 600 degrees — which certainly made an improvement in my standard crust, but I can’t help but think that if I could, I don’t know, double that – things could be even better.

I had prepared ingredients for four small pizzas in varying formats to see what would work best. It’s true what they say, less is more when it comes to pizza, especially on the barbecue. The faster the crust cooks, the less you want piled on top, causing it to cook unevenly, making your toppings raw and playing catch up when the dough is finished baking and burning underneath by the second. The first pizza used a roasted red pepper and chili sauce, more red peppers, olives, Genoa salami and mozzarella; the second some of my garden tomatoes, olive oil, basil and boccocini; the third sauteed mushrooms with fresh herbs, garlic and Parmesan, and the fourth and final one; a blanco pizza of zucchini, olive oil and arugula.

I devised a pretty basic way of getting things to bake evenly by laying my heaviest baking sheet upside down inside the barbecue (what I normally do in my oven) with all the knobs turned to high, and then having the pizza on a lightweight removable grill screen I picked up to cook fillets of fish. That way I could easily prepare and transfer the pizzas on it and then to and from the grill without a peel. This worked surprisingly well and, aside from the flavor imparted by burning wood, is the closest I’ve came to actualizing what I’ve been trying to achieve making pizzas outside of a commercial kitchen. So, needless to say, I’m going to be trying this at least once more before the end of summer.

Pizza on the Barbecue

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra)
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup warm water

1. To prepare the dough: combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl, then add the olive oil and water. Stir with a wooden spoon until it all starts to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, then knead it by hand on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as necessary.
2. Lightly coat dough ball with oil and transfer to a clean bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
3. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll into tight balls. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with a touch of olive oil and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out while barbecue heats up.
4. To prepare the pizza: preheat your barbecue as hot as possible with an inverted baking sheet placed inside of it.
5. Lightly flour one of the balls of dough, brushing off the excess. Roll as flat as possible, then transfer to a professional pizza pan (with holes) or a wire mesh grill grate (a cooling rack would do).
6. Add desired sauce and toppings (minimalist is best here) and place the rack directly on top of the baking sheet in the barbecue.
7. Keep the lid closed and bake for 3-5 minutes before quickly checking to see if the crust is done (it should be browned and not feel doughy when tapped upon). If the cooking process is not complete, quickly close the lid and wait an additional minute or two until it is.
8. Remove the pizza and grate from the barbecue and allow the pizza to cool slightly before transferring to a cutting board and slicing, to prevent the crust from getting soggy.
9. Repeat with remaining dough balls.

I took the extra step of preparing the dough a day ahead of time and proofed it slowly in the refrigerator. This improves the flavor and texture, but it also requires a whole day of waiting to eat pizza. This process is not recommended when using dry active yeast (as opposed to instant) because the pronounced flavor of active dry yeast is awful. Make sure to remove the dough from the refrigerator at least an hour before you’re ready to bake, so the dough has a chance to come to temperature. Skipping this step won’t let to sufferable results, but it should be noted it does make an improvement.

Though it seems somewhat logical to assume the Neapolitans have only given us the wonder of three-flavored ice cream, it is also the pizza that originated in Naples. Considering its popularity, it’s hard to believe that the pizza is barely one-hundred years old, born in 1889 as a dish prepared during the visit of Queen Margherita. This most basic of pizzas, consisting of little more than dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil (a classic Italian combination, symbolizing the colors of the flag and basically all that’s good in the world) started a culinary marvel that would soon span the globe.

Pizza is one of the few foods that’s enjoyed the world ’round. I mistakenly bought “Armenian pizza” last week during a hasty shopping adventure while looking for a naan substitute for my curry dinner. Those “ground beef, tomatoes, onions…” ingredients on the back, I thought, were simply recommendations on how to assemble a tasty pita-like sandwich. There are countless variations, from toppings to crust thickness, of which personal preference will dictate. Personally, I enjoy a crust thin enough to be both flaky and chewy, while garlic, spinach and tomatoes are common accompaniments.

There is little that brings more joy to children than pizza. Having worked in a pizzeria for approximately four years, I can say with certainty that there is no other skill I’ve acquired that’s made anyone smile as much as kids watching me fling pizza dough in the air, or behind my back, or in to an oven, so they can eat it. This appears to be a dying art, as you’d be hard-pressed to find someone tossing pizza dough at the Domino’s down the street. I’ve had people personally offer me money just to watch me demonstrate my skills. Showmanship might not make my pizza taste any better, but there’s something to be said for dinners that come with entertainment for an appetizer. Once, I was commended for doing “God’s work” by making pizzas, a compliment I have since reserved only for the woman who prepares my gelato.

It’s safe to say that I have eaten my fair share of pizza in my life, but have since renounced it to special occasions rather than dietary staple. However I still, like most people, have a fondness for pizza that is incomparable. Pizza knows no bounds, feeding the ravenous club hoppers at 99 cents a slice, to the gourmand enjoying a slice of forno-baked foie gras with truffle oil.

There is, of course, a dark side to pizza; the sad, ready-bake, prepackaged supermarket pizzas that dare to share the same name. Their crusts are indiscernible from the cardboard disks they’re purchased upon, their toppings flavorless and their cheeses as gummy as unrefrigerated mayonnaise. In truth, there are frozen varieties that are acceptable, but nothing compares to a freshly made pizza pie. Fortunately, there’s hope. If budget restricts you from getting delivery, you needn’t resort to the sauce covered Frisbees in the freezer aisle. You can, with a little patience and preparation, make your own.

The recipe I’m about to give to you is a tad unusual. You’re more than welcome to stop following along after the crust and make your own substitutions, but I assure you, although the ingredients may seem strange, that this is one delicious pizza to be had. I think that the taste of honey and whole wheat adds a lot more flavor to the crust that sets it apart from traditional white fare, with just a touch of nutrition. The extra amount of sugar, I’ve learned, also prevents the yeast from fully consuming it and results in a flakier crust. Since the dough only takes an hour to make instead of a couple of days, and unless you have a mixer with a dough hook, it is very difficult to develop a lot of gluten in the dough. Aside from being difficult to toss, this still creates a beautiful crust. You could try to half the recipe, but a packet of yeast makes enough for two approximately 10″ pizzas. The dough recipe can also be used for focaccia, just lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and press the dough in to round baking pans, dimple with your fingers and drizzle with olive oil, coarse salt and dried herbs.

Ken’s Pizza

• 1 tablespoon/package active dry yeast
• 1-3/4 cups warm water (warmed up bottled is best, but totally unnecessary)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups high-protein white flour (all-purpose will do)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 2 tablespoons reduced balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• 1 head of roasted garlic
• 6 slices of cooked and chopped smoky bacon
• 1 sliced Roma tomato
• 1/2 cup of fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato pesto
• 6 ounces sliced part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan reggiano

1. Combine the yeast, water and sugar in a large bowl and let proof until foamy.
2. Stir in the honey, olive oil and salt. Sift together the flours and gradually incorporate into the liquid until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Knead until it’s apparent that strands of gluten are developing, or until your hands get tired, whichever comes first.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Put in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, which will take about an hour. This is enough time to run to the supermarket and select your toppings, prepare your toppings, or to start preparing extravagant side salads and other accompaniments.
5. Punch down and divide the dough into two approximately equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, then, on a lightly floured surface, flatten to make a disk, then roll out to a uniform thickness of no greater than half an inch. Shape and dimension does not matter, as long as it will fit in the oven. Dust the bottom of two baking sheets or pizza pans with a little flour and lay the dough on top. You can allow the dough to rise again for half an hour if you would like a chewier crust.
6. Preheat your oven to its hottest temperature, say 500 degrees.
7. Combine the reduced balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey and sesame seeds. Brush this evenly over the dough.
8. Layer cloves of roasted garlic, bacon, slices of tomato and basil on top of the dough. Drizzle it with the pesto, and top with slices of the mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan.
9. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese begins to melt and the crust begins to poof up like in a Delissio commercial. It shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes to finish, but if the crust still feels doughy, put it back in for a few more minutes.
10. Patiently wait for the pizzas to cool a little before you slice in to it, then eat.