Cooking pizza from scratch is a long process, but its flavor pays off all the extra effort. Prepare the dough, sauce and other ingredients separately; when all the elements are ready, combine them and cook the pizza on high heat until the base is crisp and delicious.
Ingrediants
For the Dough
Doses for two pizzas of 25-30 cm in diameter
- 350 ml of warm water
- 1 sachet (12 g) of active dry yeast
- 500 g of strong flour
- 30 ml of olive oil
- 10 g of salt
- 5 g of sugar
For the Salsa
For 500 ml of sauce
- 15 ml of olive oil
- 10 g of minced garlic
- 30 g of chopped sweet onion
- 3 g of dried oregano
- 3 g of dry basil
- 500 g of fresh tomatoes cut into cubes or a 450 g box of diced peeled tomatoes (with liquid)
- 3 g of sugar
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper
For the Seals
Sufficient doses for two pizzas
- 230 g of mozzarella
- Salami 10 cm long
- 100 g of salami
- Half a small onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 coarsely chopped sweet pepper
- Olive oil
- 20 g of fresh basil
For Preparation
- 15-30 ml of olive oil
- 50 g of corn starch
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Making the Dough
Step 1. Combine the water with the yeast, salt and sugar
Put all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix to mix them.
- In theory, the water should be at body temperature, between 35 and 37 ° C;
- Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved completely and begins to foam.
Step 2. Place the flour in a heap
Pour it onto a clean, sturdy work surface creating a heap. use your hands to make a hole in the center with very high walls.
For this recipe you need to knead by hand. If you plan to use a planetary mixer, pour the flour into the flour bowl instead of on the table or kitchen counter
Step 3. Gradually add the water
Pour about 1/3 into the flour and carefully use the fork to bring a little flour at a time into the central "pool". Work carefully to prevent the walls of the "crater" from collapsing.
- After mixing the water with the flour, repeat the step with another third of liquid and finally with the last one;
- When finished, you should have a very sticky dough.
Step 4. Work it for 10 minutes
Flour your hands and knead the mixture for 10 minutes, stop when it becomes firm and compact.
If you prefer to use the planetary mixer, mount the dough hook and turn the appliance on at medium speed for 10 minutes
Step 5. Transfer the pasta to an oiled bowl
Brush the sides and bottom with olive oil and place the ball of dough inside, turning it several times to grease it completely.
Step 6. Let the dough rise
Cover the container with cling film and place it in a warm place for an hour or until the dough doubles in volume.
- The ideal air temperature is between 24 and 29 ° C;
- If there is not a warm enough place in the house, turn on the oven at 65 ° C, turn it off once it is hot and wait for it to cool down a bit for several minutes; then put the bowl inside for the dough to rise.
Step 7. Divide the dough
Once risen, cut it into two equal parts and shape both into a ball.
- Arrange them on a lightly floured surface, spacing them 2-3 cm apart; when rising they come into contact, they are ready to be used or stored.
- If you want to keep one of the doughs for another occasion, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze it; it can stay in the freezer for up to two weeks. Remember to thaw it completely at room temperature before processing it.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Salsa
Step 1. Mash the tomatoes
After cutting them into cubes, transfer them to a bowl or mash them with the convex side of a fork until you get a puree that is still quite crunchy.
- If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you can use your fingers instead of a fork. This way you have better control of the work.
- Set the tomatoes aside after mashing them.
Step 2. Heat the oil
Pour it into a thick-bottomed saucepan with a capacity of 2 liters; heat it on the stove over medium-high heat.
Give the oil 30-60 seconds to warm up; when it is hot enough, you should be able to slide it easily to the bottom by tilting the pan
Step 3. Cook the chopped onion
Add it to the hot oil and cook for several minutes or until slightly translucent.
Step 4. Add the chopped garlic
Sauté it with the onion, stirring often for about another minute or until it starts to turn golden.
At this stage pay attention to the contents of the pan, the minced garlic burns quickly if you leave it unattended
Step 5. Incorporate the other ingredients
Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt and pepper to the saucepan.
Wait for the mixture to cook over medium-high heat, stirring often until it begins to boil
Step 6. Simmer for at least half an hour
Reduce the heat and continue to simmer the sauce for 30 minutes without putting the lid on.
You can extend the cooking up to 90 minutes; the simpler, the thicker and tastier the sauce
Step 7. Let it cool down
Remove it from the heat and wait for it to reach room temperature.
If you want to keep part (or even all) of it for future use, once cold you can pour it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week; if you freeze it, it also lasts up to two months
Step 8. Blend it
If the mixture is too lumpy or thick, puree it with a hand blender until it reaches the ideal consistency.
It should then be ready to use
Part 3 of 4: Prepare the Gaskets
Step 1. Grate the cheese
Use a grater to reduce the mozzarella into thick strips and place it in a bowl for now.
- If you love pizza with a lot of cheese, double the recommended dose and cut the mozzarella into 5 mm thick slices;
- You can save some time by using pre-grated cheese or you can change the flavor by using different types.
Step 2. Slice the salami
Use a sharp knife to cut it into slices 3-5mm thick.
- If you prefer, you can cut it into cubes instead of slices;
- If you don't like this salami, you can omit it.
Step 3. Cook and crumble the sausage
Put it in a pan over medium heat breaking it with a spatula while you cook it; stir frequently for 10 minutes or until the meat is well browned.
The salamella is absolutely optional; you can avoid using it or replace it with other types of meat. Some products, such as bacon, need to be cooked and chopped up in advance, other cured meats (such as ham) just need to be sliced
Step 4. Cook the vegetables in oil
Fill a thick-bottomed saucepan with 5-8cm of olive oil, heat it and soak the peppers and onions for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Although this recipe only includes onions and peppers, you can still use other vegetables; preventive cooking in oil makes their flavor richer.
- Wait for the oil to reach 90 ° C before dipping the vegetables; if it starts to sizzle or smoke, it is too hot. Cook the vegetables until soft, scoop them up with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Step 5. Tear off the basil
Cut it into small strips using your hands.
- Do not use the knife, otherwise you will make the fresh basil black;
- You can try different herbs, such as oregano and parsley.
Part 4 of 4: Assemble and Bake the Pizza
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 230 ° C
Leave it on for at least 30 minutes or even a full hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the baking stone or a round pizza pan by coating it with a thin, even layer of flour or cornstarch
Step 2. Flatten and shape the dough
Place a ball of dough in the center of the floured work surface and gently spread it out to form a disc; use your hands and push towards the edges.
- If necessary, use a lightly floured rolling pin to flatten the dough until you get a disk no thicker than 5mm;
- Alternatively, level it as much as possible on the work base and then lift it carefully; put both fists under it and gradually spread it out more and more in a circular motion.
- Remember that if the dough tends to shrink every time you roll it out, you need to let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
Step 3. Transfer the base to the baking stone
Lift it carefully and arrange it on the baking sheet or stone and, if necessary, restore the shape with your fingers.
Step 4. Brush it with olive oil
Use a pastry brush to coat the top and sides of the pastry with oil; do not overdo it, however, use the minimum dose to obtain a thin layer, you must not "drown" the pizza in oil.
The oil should keep the crust crisp even after adding the toppings
Step 5. Sprinkle the sauce
Take a ladle and transfer about 60 ml of it to the center of the dough disc, then use the convex part of the utensil to spread it to the edges.
Theoretically, you should leave a sauceless edge about 1 to 2 cm wide around the perimeter; by doing so, you prevent it from overflowing over the base and dirtying the pan or oven
Step 6. Add the other ingredients
Sprinkle the pizza with the cheese, followed by the meats and vegetables you prepared earlier; finish the garnish with the chopped aromatic herbs.
- Remember not to season the edge for 1-2 cm;
- Don't overdo the ingredients, otherwise you risk the flavors masking each other instead of complementing each other.
Step 7. Cook the pizza
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the crust is well cooked and crisp.
Consider turning it after 5-7 minutes to ensure even browning
Step 8. Slice and serve it
Remove it from the oven and let it cool for several minutes; when it is cold enough to be touched, divide it into wedges and offer it to diners. Enjoy your meal!
