Pizza, Pizza!

It's another rainy, dreary day in Atlanta, and, yet again, I find myself longing for the fresh, sun-drenched flavors of summer. Mind you, I have a fridge full of winter veggies--kale, brussels sprouts, delicata squash, shitakes, etc., but I succumbed to the lure of fresh basil in the market. I know it must have come from Argentina or California or somewhere else sunnier than here and I should be roundly chastised for purchasing something that trekked halfway around the world so it could end up satisfying my impulsive craving. Don't even ask about the tomatoes. I did, however, find fresh mozzarella from Alabama, so maybe I can ease up a bit on the self-flagellation.

I love pizza; it is nothing but pure comfort food. From the time I was 7 or 8 and pizza came from a Chef Boyardee pizza kit to the first time I inhaled a Pizza Margherita in Naples, I was smitten. Although I have eaten my fair share of Pizza Americana from the huge chains, once I created a perfect pie (well, maybe) with my own hands, there was no going back. Yes, it takes time and patience. It takes a little hand strength to knead the dough, but that is so meditative. It definitely takes an organized mise en place. But most of all, it takes a quick hand and sheer luck to transfer the beautiful creation from the pizza peel to the oven. Oy veh!

I have no problem admitting that I am a pizza snob. IMHO, simple is best. I don't like sauces on my pizza and I don't like pizza overloaded and soggy with cheese. Yeasty dough brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, layered with thinly-sliced fresh tomatoes, bufalo mozzarella, and a chiffonade of basil couldn't be more perfect. Perfetto!

Note: In summertime, I place the pizza stone on the barbeque grill and cook outside. Just make sure that you use indirect heat.

Makes Two, 9 inch pizzas, Serves 2-3
Basic Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
Two tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 Cup freshly-grated Parmesan Cheese
6 ounces fresh Mozzarella
Handful of fresh basil leaves, stacked, roll-cut into a chiffonade
Olive Oil, about 1/4 cup, for brushing pizza dough

Basic Pizza Dough

by Charles and Michele Scicolone, Pizza, Any Way You Slice It

Makes one 12 inch pizza or two 9 inch pizza

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (105° to 115° F)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil for the bowl
Sprinkle the yeast over the water.

Let stand 1 minute, or until the yeast is creamy. Stir until the yeast dissolves.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups flour and the salt.

Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Lightly coat a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to oil the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.



Just-kneaded dough



Risen Dough

Flatten the dough with your fist. Cut the dough into 2 pieces and shape the pieces into balls. Flatten the dough slightly. Dust the tops with flour. Place the balls of dough on a floured surface and cover each with plastic wrap, allowing room for the dough to expand. Let rise 60 minutes, or until doubled.



Thirty to sixty minutes before baking the pizzas, place a baking stone or unglazed quarry tiles on a rack in the lowest level of the oven. Turn the oven to the maximum temperature, 500 to 550 degrees F.

With your hands, flatten the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Handling it gently and turning it frequently, pat it into a 12-inch circle (or 9 inch circle, if you're doing two). Dust a pizza peel or baking sheet with more flour.*** Arrange the dough on the peel, reshaping the dough as needed. Shake the peel once or twice to be sure that the dough is not sticking.

***I use just a little corn meal as well. Don't use more than a tablespoon or two, or the crust will become tough.



Work quickly to add ingredients. Brush with a little olive oil. Srinkle parmesan cheese. Layer the tomatoes (5 or 6 slices per pizza should do). Slice the mozzarella thinly and layer over the tomatoes. Sprinkle basil chiffonade. Try not to overload with ingredients. If the pizza dough becomes too heavy,it will be very difficult to slide onto baking stone. Unless you have used quarry tiles to line the oven, you will only be able to make one pizza at a time.






Place the front edge of the peel on the edge of the baking stone farthest from you, jerk it gently to get the pizza moving, then slide the pizza onto the stone.




Bake 6-7 minutes, or until the pizza crust is golden brown and crisp. Slide the peel under the pizza and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the pizza into slices.