Do you make your own pizza crust?

[café au lait]

I would like to make pizzas at home, but I haven't found a store-bought crust that I like. Does anyone here make their own crust and want to share the recipe and tips?

[jodyrah]

I use Todd English's recipe from The Figs Table: (makes 4 8-10" pizzas)

1/4 C whole wheat flour
3 1/2 C AP flour, plus additonal for rolling
2t. yeast
2t. kosher salt
2t. sugar
2t. olive oil
1 2/3C lukewarm water

Place dry ingredients in a mixer with dough hook. While mixer is running, gradually add the oil and water. Knead on low until firm and smooth, about 10 min. Divide into 4 balls, cover with a damp towel in a warm spot until doubled in size. To roll out the dough, press down in the center with your finger tips, spreading with your hands. when doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll till it is very thin, like flatbread. The outer boarder should be a little thicker than the inner circle. Transfer to a pizza paddle that has been dusted with cornmeal or flour.

English states "Our dough is far wetter than you'd ever believe; it makes a light, crisp crust. It may take you a few tries before you get it right. Be patient and err on the side of underworking the dough; if you overwork it, the crust will be tough and dry".

Preheat baking stone in 500' oven for 1 hour prior to baking.

I much prefer this dough to Puck's however, it is VERY wet. I add extra flour. I also use quick rise yeast. I have made this with just AP flour, as well as the combo with whole wheat. Not much difference.

[Alex]

I have tried, but have never been able to make a good crust. I may have to give it another try.

[EatinAintCheatin]

I've seen several recipes that say you can use a food processor. So one day I tried it in my food processor and nearly burned up the motor. The dough was so overneaded that it was like gum. What a mess.

Now, when I find myself near Whole Paycheck, I but a couple of dough balls from the pizza area. They sell them for $2.50 each and each ball is already proofed and ready to go. They put it in a cardboard type container and it can last for a couple of days in the fridge.

It will roll out to a pretty large, thin crust size. I cook the pizza on my grill. It comes out much better than those store bought crusts like baboli, pillsbury, etc.

[Mrs. Fury]

This is similar to the one I make. I don't have my recipe here at work.

New York Style Pizza Dough
Recipe courtesy of Chef Lorenzo Pytlik of Lorenzo’s Culinary School in Lakeside, Ohio
Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
1 package dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour (high gluten)
1 tablespoon rye flour (optional: rustic cooking dough)
1 teaspoon salt plus extra
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Preparation:

Place the yeast and sugar in the mixing bowl and add warm water. Turn the mixer on high for a few pulses to dissolve the yeast in the water. Cover and set aside in a warm spot. When the yeast blooms it will appear foamy. This will take approx. 10-15 minutes. Add the tablespoon of olive oil.

Sift the two types of flour together. Add rye flour and salt to sifted flour. Add 1 cup of flour at a time to yeast while the mixer is on low with the bread hook attachment. Continue kneading on medium speed until dough is elastic and smooth. The dough should form into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand, making sure dough is smooth and elastic. Form a ball with the dough.

Dough can be made in a food processor or completely by hand.

With the extra olive oil, lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl, rolling the dough so the ball is covered with an oil film.

Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and store in a warm spot until the dough doubles in volume (approximately 2 hours). During this time, punch the dough down once. Remove the dough ball and cut in half. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into the traditional pizza shape. Place dough on board lightly covered with cornmeal. Cover and allow the pizza to rise about 1/2-1 hour in a warm spot.

Place hand 1 inch over grill surface. If your hand can stay only 1 or 2 seconds, grill surface is ready for pizza.

Cut or pull small dough ball about the size of a baseball. Flatten into disc approximately 1/2 inch thick. Grease both sides of pizza dough liberally with olive oil. Throw pizza on grill. Bake 3-4 minutes, checking dough surface with spatula to ensure it doesn’t burn. When golden brown, flip pizza over to grill topside. When dough feels completely baked, remove and top pizza with grilled vegetables, cheese and extras.

Dough will yield 4 pizzas approximately 10 inches in diameter.

[PNG]

I start yeast in a bowl of 105 F water with some sugar added to feed the yeast. Mix yeast water and flour in a big bowl. Let proof, then overproof. Seperate into balls and then season and use as needed. I use this for dumplings and beignets too, adjusting the seasoning as needed.

[foodieCon]

both these crusts look very good. I prefer a good thin crust that has the texture of a good flatbread almost like lavish bread.

[bdavid]

Now, when I find myself near Whole Paycheck, I but a couple of dough balls from the pizza area. They sell them for $2.50 each and each ball is already proofed and ready to go. They put it in a cardboard type container and it can last for a couple of days in the fridge.

It will roll out to a pretty large, thin crust size. I cook the pizza on my grill. It comes out much better than those store bought crusts like baboli, pillsbury, etc.

That's a great idea, EAC. Can you freeze them, do you know, prior to baking?
Also - when you cook them on the grill - do you put them on a stone, or a sheet or what?

[EatinAintCheatin]

That's a great idea, EAC. Can you freeze them, do you know, prior to baking?
Also - when you cook them on the grill - do you put them on a stone, or a sheet or what?

bdavid,

I am the farthest thing from a baker and have no idea about freezing them. I'm sure someone else on here can advise whether or not it's feasible.

I cook directly on the grate. BUT, make sure your grate is clean and preheated to at least 450. And rub a little olive oil in the grate just before applying the pizza. I don't have a peel, and it would be much easier with one, so when I do it I use a large pizza/cookie sheet that has been doused with cornmeal as my transport device. Simply set the cookie sheet to the back of the grill and then, using tongs pull the sheet out from under the pizza while hold the pizza stationary with spatula.

Do the reverse of this to remove from the grill.

[Shannon]

This is similar to the one I make. I don't have my recipe here at work.

New York Style Pizza Dough
Recipe courtesy of Chef Lorenzo Pytlik of Lorenzo’s Culinary School in Lakeside, Ohio
Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
1 package dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour (high gluten)
1 tablespoon rye flour (optional: rustic cooking dough)
1 teaspoon salt plus extra
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Preparation:

Place the yeast and sugar in the mixing bowl and add warm water. Turn the mixer on high for a few pulses to dissolve the yeast in the water. Cover and set aside in a warm spot. When the yeast blooms it will appear foamy. This will take approx. 10-15 minutes. Add the tablespoon of olive oil.

Sift the two types of flour together. Add rye flour and salt to sifted flour. Add 1 cup of flour at a time to yeast while the mixer is on low with the bread hook attachment. Continue kneading on medium speed until dough is elastic and smooth. The dough should form into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand, making sure dough is smooth and elastic. Form a ball with the dough.

Dough can be made in a food processor or completely by hand.

With the extra olive oil, lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl, rolling the dough so the ball is covered with an oil film.

Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and store in a warm spot until the dough doubles in volume (approximately 2 hours). During this time, punch the dough down once. Remove the dough ball and cut in half. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into the traditional pizza shape. Place dough on board lightly covered with cornmeal. Cover and allow the pizza to rise about 1/2-1 hour in a warm spot.

Place hand 1 inch over grill surface. If your hand can stay only 1 or 2 seconds, grill surface is ready for pizza.

Cut or pull small dough ball about the size of a baseball. Flatten into disc approximately 1/2 inch thick. Grease both sides of pizza dough liberally with olive oil. Throw pizza on grill. Bake 3-4 minutes, checking dough surface with spatula to ensure it doesn’t burn. When golden brown, flip pizza over to grill topside. When dough feels completely baked, remove and top pizza with grilled vegetables, cheese and extras.

Dough will yield 4 pizzas approximately 10 inches in diameter.

I still have the cookbook you loaned me with your pizza crust recipe in it (from BEFORE Katrina!). It was saved - unlike a lot of my cookbooks that were on the bottom shelf and flooded. It is in a box of books that didn't mold. Still in a box. I need to dig it out and return it to you (an excuse for drinks at Rivershack???)