Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Semolina Flour (can substitute 3/4 cup yellow Corn Meal and 3/4 cup "regular" flour)
- 1 TBS Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 cups BEER!
- NOTE: the beer needs to be warmed to @100 degrees. This starts the yeast doing what it does during the rising (proofing) stage.
Preparation
Step 1
Mix the dry ingredients. I use a stand mixer, but of course, mixing by hand has it's zen like charms.
Add the Olive Oil and the entire 12 ounce bottle of beer
Mix and need well for at least 5 minutes. Longer if mixing by hand. the dough will be slightly tacky, but not so wet that it does not hold it's shape.
The dough needs to rise (proof) for at least an hour, possibly 2. It depends on where it is set. I like to pre warm my oven on it's lowest setting. Then I open the door and allow the initial heat to leave. When I put the bowl with the dough in the oven (turned off now), it is the perfect environment for any dough to proof. Slightly warm, no breeze.
So, form the dough in a ball, put in a large bowl, coat the dough with just a slim layer of Olive Oil, cover with plastic wrap and pop in that now about 100 degree oven for 1 to 2 hours. Until the dough has doubled in size.
These amounts will make 2 thin crust pizzas, 3-4 cracker thin crust pizzas or in this case, one LARGE thick crust Sicilian style pizza. The dough will freeze, or if you plan to make more pizzas within the week, it will keep in the refrigerator. Be sure to allow the dough to warm to room temperature prior to making the next pizza.