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Cooks Country Thin Crust Pizza

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Our preferred brand of whole-milk mozzarella is Sorrento Galbani. You can shape the second dough ball while the first pizza bakes, but don't top the pizza until right before you bake it. If you don't have a baking stone, bake the pizzas on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet. It is important to use ice water in the dough to prevent overheating the dough while in the food processor. Semolina flour is ideal for dusting the peel; use it in place of bread flour if you have it. The sauce will yield more than needed in the recipe; extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

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Cooks Country Thin Crust Pizza 1 Picture

Ingredients

  • Dough:
  • 3 3 1/2 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour , plus more for work surface (see note)
  • 2 2 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • 1 1/3 1 1/3 10 1/2 ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces) (see note)
  • 1 1 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil , plus more for work surface
  • 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • Sauce:
  • 1 1 can 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes , drained and liquid discarded
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 2 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 1 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 1 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Cheese
  • 1 1 1/2 Ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
  • 8 8 2 ounces whole milk mozzarella , shredded (about 2 cups) (see note)
  • Variation from The Kitchn:
  • Recipe Note:
  • For the dough:
  • 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 1 1 teaspoon active-dry yeast
  • 2 2 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 3/4 3/4 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • For the toppings:
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup sauce: classic red sauce or a white sauce
  • Toppings: sautéed onions or mushrooms, sliced red peppers, pepperoni, cooked sausage, bacon, etc.
  • Cheese: one or a combination of shredded mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, fontina, romano, and asiago

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. FOR THE DOUGH: 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.

3. FOR THE SAUCE: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. TO BAKE THE PIZZA: One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 5 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.

5. Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella. Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza.

TOPPING TIPS: We like our Thin-Crust Pizza simply dressed with tomato sauce and handfuls of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, but additional toppings are always an option--provided they're prepared correctly and added judiciously. (An overloaded pie will bake up soggy.) Here are a few guidelines for how to handle different types of toppings:

HEARTY VEGETABLES Aim for a maximum of 6 ounces per pie, spread out in a single layer. Vegetables such as onions, peppers, and mushrooms should be thinly sliced and lightly sautéed (or microwaved for a minute or two along with a little olive oil) before using.

MEATS Proteins (no more than 4 ounces per pie) should be precooked and drained to remove excess fat. We like to poach meats like sausage (broken up into 1/2-inch chunks), pepperoni, or ground beef for 4 to 5 minutes in a wide skillet along with 1/4 cup of water, which helps to render the fat while keeping the meat moist.

Variation:

Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven, place a heavy baking sheet on the rack, and heat to 450°F.

Pour the water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand until the yeast has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the flour and salt. Mix with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon until floury, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto the counter, and knead the dough until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to your hands like bubblegum, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with; avoid adding too much flour if possible.

Cover the dough with the upside-down bowl or a clean kitchen towel and let sit while you prepare the pizza toppings, about 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, stretch or roll it into a thin, 10- to 12-inch round. Form from the middle of the dough outwards, using the heel of your hand to gently press and stretch the dough until it's about a 1/4-inch thick or less. For an extra-thin crust, roll it with a rolling pin. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then try rolling again.

Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and place it upside down on a wire rack. Transfer the dough directly onto the upside-down baking sheet. Brush the dough with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Spread 1/4 cup sauce into a thin layer onto dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle on cheese and other toppings.

Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese looks melted and toasty, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Recipe Notes:
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Per serving, based on 4 servings. (% daily value)
Calories 251 Fat 2.9 g (4.5%) Saturated 0.4 g (2.1%) Carbs 48.1 g (16%) Fiber 2 g (7.8%) Sugars 0.2 g Protein 6.9 g (13.7%) Sodium 256.2 mg (10.7%)



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