# Pizza Crust Recipe?



## Felicia (Mar 11, 2011)

I would love to find a good pizza crust recipe, one that has a texture like Papa John's. Anybody have any ideas?


----------



## Selkie (Mar 11, 2011)

Personally, I start off with a poolish (pre-ferment - see recipe below) the day before I make the pizza dough (that's two days before I make the pizza), but for less fanatical bread bakers, a single package of instant rise yeast will work.

*Pizza Dough Recipe*

3½ cups (16 ounces) high-gluten flour, plus more flour for rolling out.
1-1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pkg. instant rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt

In a stand mixer (e.g., KitchenAid) fitted with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until all ingredients, except for the oil, come together and form a scrappy dough. Once mixture has formed a dough, add olive oil and mix for a few seconds longer until it's incorporated. Switch to the dough hook attachment and set mixer to medium speed. Allow mixer to knead the dough for a full 15 minutes. The amount of warm water needed may vary depending on your weather and  humidity. Only experience will help. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a  time while using the mixer, and letting a tablespoon of water thoroughly  mix in before considering adding second one. The dough ball should NOT  stick to the sides of the mixing bowl. Place dough in a large oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place dough in the refrigerator for 24 hours. When you're ready to make the pizza, roll out dough on lightly floured surface and stretch to desired size and thickness. Let it rest for a minimum of 15 minutes before moving to a pizza peel (paddle) that has been sprinkled with flour and/or corn meal. Dress with sauce & toppings, or whatever your pleasure is for a pizza. Bake on a 1-hour-preheated pizza stone at a minimum of 500 F. for 7-9 minutes.

*Poolish Method for a Pref-Ferment Starter*
_A 50/50 mixture of 1 cup of high-gluten flour and 1 cup filtered water with 1-1/2 teaspoons brewer's yeast (or 1 pkg. of rapid rise yeast) blended with a wooden spoon. Mix in a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a towel and let set for 24-48 hours at room temperature. Use this yeast starter in place of 1 cup of flour and water in the recipe above, and omit the pkg. of instant rise yeast it calls for. Do NOT add sugar or honey to this poolish mixture!_

_*This recipe is only for pizza fanatics.*_


----------



## Felicia (Mar 11, 2011)

Thank You Selkie,

I copied your recipe and it sounds like some work, but if it's really good it would be worth it. I appreciate the detailed directions.


----------



## Bolas De Fraile (Mar 12, 2011)

Selkie mate, to biga or not to biga is that a poolish question
I would also add that my wife makes the pizza dough by hand, I make the bread using the both poolish method and Kenwood machine like you. My wife uses a "normal" method but for the liquid it is half milk half water, we both use 00 Italian flour for our dough apart from when I make baguettes I then use french type 65 flour, she does the folding.
I am made up you are a poolish fan, I have used the method for over 40 yrs our hands maybe weak but our taste buds remain dominant


----------



## CWS4322 (Mar 12, 2011)

I use a bread machine to make dough, the standard recipe  I use for pizza dough is 1 cup liquid (for pizza dough, I use "flat" beer) 3 c flour (I use 2 AP, one ww), 2-3 T fat (I use olive oil) 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp yeast. I add oregano and parmesean cheese to the dough. I put all the liquids in the pan first, then the sugar, then the flour, dried herbs, then the rest of stuff. It works like a charm for me. When the machine  beeps, I roll the dough out on my Bethany pastry board 

Amazon.com: Bethany Pastry Board and Cloth Set: Kitchen & Dining

A "must have" if you make lefse, tortillas, pie crust....and Norwegian flatbread. I have three of them...long story...my mother has "misplaced hers (she has demential)" so I buy a new one for her when I can't find hers...bring the "other one" home when I find it...


----------



## Selkie (Mar 12, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile, I've never tried milk in making a pizza dough, but I have used it often in making tender white bread. Milk softens the interior.  I'll try that next batch.

But, alas, hand kneading is beyond me at this time, although I did enjoy it! It gives the dough life and makes it a part of the baker. People who have never kneaded bread have no idea what we're talking about! 

Here in middle America, I have yet to find a good source for baguettes. None are fresh nor have that beautiful crust that flakes when you crunch it yet maintains a tender, slightly chewable interior... Of course, no baguette more than 12 hours old should ever be used for anything except bread crumbs! 

And yes, I'm a poolish enthusiast. I'm for any method that fully develops the flavor of bread as it was meant to be.


----------



## Chef Tim (Mar 17, 2011)

I sold tens of thousands of pizzas at the El Rancho Deli in Santa Ynez, CA. over 13 years.
This is the recipe for the dough we made. People loved them. It is really different from standard recipes and as I understand it, it came from an Italian Chef in New York. I know it's weird but try it.


2 c. warm water
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
4 cups bread flour


Proof yeast in water with the sugar. Add oil salt and flours to make a slightly sticky dough in a stand mixer and run on medium speed 12 minutes. Let dough rest 15 minutes. Form into dough balls, brush with olive oil cover with plastic wrap store on fridge to use later that day or freeze and individually wrap for 4 weeks.


----------



## Josie1945 (Mar 17, 2011)

Chef Tim said:


> I sold tens of thousands of pizzas at the El Rancho Deli in Santa Ynez, CA. over 13 years.
> This is the recipe for the dough we made. People loved them. It is really different from standard recipes and as I understand it, it came from an Italian Chef in New York. I know it's weird but try it.
> 
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for the recipie and
Welcome to DC.

Josie


----------



## CharlieD (Mar 17, 2011)

Welcome to DC, Tim.Thanks, that sounds good.
What exactly proofing yeast means?


----------



## Zereh (Mar 17, 2011)

CharlieD said:


> What exactly proofing yeast means?



When you proof the yeast you give it time to activate with a liquid and generally with some type of sugar, but not always. You want to give the yeast time to bubble and foam for a bit, 5-10 minutes seems the norm. 

I guess you can think of it as giving the yeast time to proof to you it's still fresh enough to be baked with!


----------



## mkaylady (Mar 17, 2011)

Chef Tim said:


> I sold tens of thousands of pizzas at the El Rancho Deli in Santa Ynez, CA. over 13 years.
> This is the recipe for the dough we made. People loved them. It is really different from standard recipes and as I understand it, it came from an Italian Chef in New York. I know it's weird but try it.
> 
> 
> ...



My father used to own a restaurant and pizza place in New York years ago and my ex-husband made the pizzas. The pizzas were very good, especially the crust. Their secret ingredient was adding powdered Malt to the mix when making the dough and I remember it gave the crust a nice flavor.


----------



## Selkie (Mar 17, 2011)

mkaylady said:


> My father used to own a restaurant and pizza place in New York years ago and my ex-husband made the pizzas. The pizzas were very good, especially the crust. Their secret ingredient was adding powdered Malt to the mix when making the dough and I remember it gave the crust a nice flavor.



*That's MY secret!!* 

I add about 2 Tbls. of Malted Milk Powder to my dough. I gives it an especially nice flavor. It's nice to see my fairly recent idea validated many years ago, proving I'm not crazy, by someone who was in the pizza business as a living. Thank you!


----------



## CraigC (Mar 17, 2011)

Publix bakery, in the bag.

Craig


----------



## mkaylady (Mar 17, 2011)

Selkie said:


> *That's MY secret!!*
> 
> I add about 2 Tbls. of Malted Milk Powder to my dough. I gives it an especially nice flavor. It's nice to see my fairly recent idea validated many years ago, proving I'm not crazy, by someone who was in the pizza business as a living. Thank you!



You are welcome. I bet your pizza dough comes out great!


----------

