Di Buffala Mozzarella Pizza

By maredan

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup light cider or lukewarm water
• 3/4 * 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1-1/2 * 1-1/2 teapoon instant yeast
• 1 * 1 tablespoon honey
• 2-3/4 * 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 * 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 * 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Pizza Assembly
• * corn meal
• 1 * 1 pizza dough ball (see recipe)
• 1 * 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 * 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• 3 * 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely cut
• 6.2 * 6.2 oz (175 g) ball of di buffala mozzarella, drained and sliced (see note)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
Pizza Dough

1. In a bowl, combine the cider, water, yeast and honey. Let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a different bowl, mix the flour, salt and oil. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture and mix until a soft ball is obtained. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few minutes while flouring to avoid sticking.
3. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour in a lukewarm area, away from drafts.
4. Using your hands divide the pizza dough into two equal parts.
5. Use the dough immediately or lightly oil before storing in a plastic bag. It can be refrigerated up to 12 hours or frozen.
6. *Note: To activate yeast, the temperature of the cider and of all other liquids is important. The temperature must be between 41 and 46C (105 and 115F), which means that the cider must be heated a little. The liquids should not be too hot as this will kill the yeast and not too cold, as the dough will not rise.

Pizza Assembly

1. With the rack in the lowest position, place a pizza baking stone or an inverted baking sheet on the oven rack. Preheat the oven to 500 °F (260 °C). Wait until the stone is well heated.
2. Sprinkle a little corn meal on the hot stone or pizza board.
3. Flatten a ball of dough to obtain a 10 in. (25 cm) diameter crust. Lay the dough on the board. Drizzle the oil onto the dough. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with the tomato and cheese. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with basil.
4. *Note: The di buffala mozzarella will give a different texture and flavour. It is of a milkier consistence with a lightly acidulated lactic flavour. This milk comes from buffaloes found in the center of Italy (north of Rome). The bocconcini is a good substitute for di buffala mozzarella.