California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough

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California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough

 

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Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

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Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Warm Water -- (105 degrees to 110

degrees F)

1 1/2 Cups Bread Flour -- or All-purpose Flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil -- plus 1 teaspoon for coating

 

 

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure that

the water is not hot; temperatures of 120 degrees F and above will kill the

yeast, and your dough will not rise. If using an upright electric mixer, such as

a KitchenAid, use the mixing paddle attachment because the batch size is too

small for the dough hook to be effective.

 

Combine all other ingredients (except the additional teaspoon olive oil) and

combine them with the dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl. (Do not pour the salt

directly into the yeast water because this would kill some of the yeast.) Allow

these 2 ingredients to mix gradually; use the lowest 2 speeds to mix the dough.

Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Overmixing will

produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause the dough to rise too

fast. If using a food processor, use a dough " blade " made of plastic rather than

the sharp steel knife attachment, which would cut the gluten strands and ruin

the consistency of the dough. Otherwise, proceed as above. Be especially

cautious not to mix too long with a food processor because the temperature

resulting from the friction of mixing could easily exceed 120 degrees F, killing

your yeast. Mix only until a smooth dough ball is formed. If mixing by hand,

place the dry ingredients in a 4 to 6 quart mixing bowl; make a well in the

middle and pour in the liquids (reserving the teaspoon of olive oil). Use a

wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Once initial mixing is done, you can

lightly oil your hands and begin kneading the dough; knead for 5 minutes. When

done the dough should be slightly tacky (that is, it should be barely beyond

sticking to your hands). Lightly oil the dough ball and the interior of a

1-quart glass bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and seal the bowl with

clear food wrap; seal airtight. Set aside at room temperature (70-80 degrees F)

to rise until double in bulk - about 1 ½ to 2 hours. (The dough could be used at

this point, but it will not be that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it

will later become.)

 

Punch down the dough, re-form a nice round ball and return it to the same bowl;

cover again with clear food wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight,

covered airtight. About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble your pizza,

remove the dough from the refrigerator.

 

Use a sharp knife to divide the dough into 2 equal portions (or 4 equal portions

if making appetizer-sized pizza or if smaller 6-inch pizzas are desired). Roll

the smaller doughs into round balls on a smooth, clean surface; be sure to seal

any holes by pinching or rolling. Place the newly formed dough balls in a glass

casserole dish, spaced far enough apart to allow for each to double in size.

Seal the top of the dish airtight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room

temperature until the dough balls have doubled in size (about 2 hours). They

should be smooth and puffy.

 

To stretch and form the dough for pizza: Sprinkle a medium dusting of flour

over a 12x12-inch clean, smooth surface. Use a metal spatula or dough scraper to

carefully remove a dough ball from the glass casserole dish, being very careful

to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Place the floured dough

on the floured smooth surface. Use your hand or rolling pin to press the dough

down forming a flat circle about ½-inch thick. Pinch the dough between your

fingers all around the edge of the circle, forming a lip or rim that rises about

¼-inch above the center surface of the dough. You may continue this outward

stretching motion of the hands until you have reached a 9-inch diameter pizza

dough.

 

To dress the pizza: Lightly sprinkle cornmeal, semolina or flour over the

surface of a wooden pizza peel. Arrange the stretched dough over the floured

peel surface. Work quickly to dress the pizza so that the dough won't become

soggy or sticky from the sauces and toppings. When you are ready to transfer the

pizza to the pizza stone in the preheated oven, grasp the handle of the peel and

execute a very small test jerk to verify that the pizza will come easily off the

peel. If the dough doesn't move freely, carefully lift the edges of the dough

and try to rotate it by hand. Extreme cases may require that you toss more flour

under the dough edges. Once the dough is moving easily on the peel, open the

oven and position the edge of the peel over the center of the stone about 2/3

from the front of the stone. *Jiggle and tilt the peel to get the pizza to start

sliding off. When the pizza begins to touch the stone, pull the peel quickly out

from under it. Don't attempt to move the pizza until it has begun to set (about

3 minutes). The peel can be slid under the pizza to move it or remove it.

 

Source:

" California Pizza

Kitchen Cookbook "

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 905 Calories; 17g Fat (17.2% calories

from fat); 26g Protein; 159g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol;

2138mg Sodium. Exchanges: 10 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other

Carbohydrates.

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0