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making pizza, using our Italian master dough recipe

Pizza-making time is here. I'm using our Italian master dough recipe, taught to us by Nonna, to share my technique for making pizza at home, with outstanding results every time. You'll enjoy the bite of a crisped outer crust, golden bottom, satisfying air pockets throughout, an awesome texture and chew, for amazing flavor, made with any toppings you can dream-up.
Fresh-baked pizza offers the best overall taste and texture-experience. However, you can wrap up leftovers and refrigerate for up to four days.
Author: Mili Takashima

Equipment

  • home oven
  • food and oven-safe ceramic - pizza stone or large tile
  • baking mat: reusable non-stick like a Silpat mat, or on-time use parchment paper
  • pizza dough: make Mili's recipe for Italian Master Dough
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • pizza toppings of your choice
  • other tools: ladel, food safe brush, oven mits, knife

Instructions

  • Prepare the Italian Master Dough. Prep and making the dough takes about 20 minutes. Proofing the dough takes one hour.
  • If your dough has not risen after and hour and a half, it cannot be used to make pizza, and you will need to try again. Once the dough is ready, cut it into pizza-sized portions.
  • One batch of the master dough will render enough to make between four to eight pizzas. For this step-by-step, I'm using 1/4 of the dough. Baked at 500 degrees, it takes between 10-15 minutes to bake, depending on how well-done you'd like the golden bottom. My favorite size dough for making pizza at home, is 1/8 of the total batch, so half this size. It takes between 9-12 minutes to bake, depending on your golden-bottom preference.
  • Have your toppings prepared before you're ready to bake,
  • Place your ceramic tile or pizza stone on top of the middle or bottom-half oven rack. Pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees.
  • On a flat surface, place your baking mat.
  • Take the ball of dough and firmly but gently, with both hands, and press it down to lightly flatten it. Then use slight tension to stretch it apart.
  • Keep your hands in a position that holds the top of the dough slightly apart. Allow gravity to pull the dough downward to stretch it.
  • With your hands in place, turn the dough in a wheel-like motion, so that gravity has the opportunity to pull and stretch the dough downward, all the way around.
  • Place the dough and stretch it so that it fits the shape you want, onto your baking mat.
  • Brush on extra virgin olive oil. I evenly brush over the entire top. At the very least, you should cover the exposed crust that will not have toppings.
  • If you are using sauce, pour it on now.
  • I use the bottom side of a small ladel to spread it evenly, with an exposed crust. Wherever I placed sauce, I'll place other toppings.
  • This is the time where I season - adding granulated garlic and either a mix of dried Italian seasonings, or just dried oregano.
  • You can lay down cheese more than one time onto your pizza. For cheese lovers, I recommend laying it down after the sauce, and again on top of your toppings. Here I placed shredded Mozzerella. To the top of everything, I placed grated Parmesan. I don't use a lot of cheese. It's completely up to what you like best. You can creative and come up with your own method.
  • For this simple pizza, I added fresh herbs from my garden, including two kinds of Basil, and fresh Oregano leaves.
  • Next were the two kinds of olives and a sprinkling of Parmesan. It is ready to bake.
  • Place the baking mat, onto the center of the stone, once the oven is pre-heated.
  • After 8 minutes, check to see that your pizza is as golden as you would like. It should be at least this color, for it to be completely cooked.
  • Take out your pizza. Use the baking mat, or slide the pizza onto a cutting board.
  • Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut. Hot from the oven pizza will give you a crisped crust that sounds awesome when you slice in.
  • Enjoy the air, texture and flavor. If you're having a pizza party, have everyone make thier own, or make a variety of flavors so that you can mix, match and trade slices.
  • Eat as it is, or offer prepared-toppings to go on-top of your fresh-baked pizza. My suggestions: fresh arugula, soft cheeses like either goat cheese, or Burrata, cured Italian meats like Prosciutto, Capicola, or Mortadella, vegetables that are either fresh, marinated, or pre-roasted. Of course, we always have a little grated Parmesan, and red chili flakes on the side to sprinkle on top.

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