Noel's Pizza Dough

Since Noel received the pizza oven for his birthday in April we have been experimenting with pizza's naturally. It's been fun with trying all different bases from using shop brought to making our own. And while some have been disastrous and messy its been great entertainment to say the least!

A lot of research has gone into our pizza capers - both reading (thank God for Google) and by trial and error.  Definitely the flour has a lot to do with it.  We have purchased some Italian Pizza Flour, which is a high protein flour. According to Lighthouse Baking great dough comes from using a flour with a protein level of 12%. The high gluten level in the flour gives the dough a good elasticity and robustness. Gluten is the key to great pizza dough; it forms strands which bind together like a web during the mixing and kneading process, air bubbles are trapped in this web and expand during cooking allowing the pizza dough to rise. During baking the stretched gluten becomes rigid as the moisture evaporates from the heat of the oven and sets the dough structure. (Not good if you are gluten intolerant - sorry).

However I take my hat off to pizza dough makers - it's not easy that's for sure.  To be honest I think we both started this "dough"quest thinking how hard could it be?  Some flour, some yeast, some water..... well here is the thing... it is HARD!!  

One of my all time favourite pizza bases is at La Camera (I would love to meet the chef there) where their Garlic and Cheese Pizza is to die for.... so soft but not too thick either.  As you can imagine every time we mix a new batch of dough I am thinking about this pizza and praying ours comes out the same... tonight it was very close so we were both really happy.

We are not at the point of spinning the dough to stretch it or throwing it in the air like in the movies but we are getting somewhere with our dough making skills......

Noel's Pizza Dough

Makes: 4 large pizza bases

650 ml lukewarm water

17 grams instant yeast

1 tablespoon caster sugar

900 grams pizza flour

100 grams semolina

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a medium jug combine water, yeast and sugar.  Mix well and allow to stand until yeast is fully dissolved.

Place flour, semolina and salt into a large bowl and mix to combine.  We used the blender with the flat paddle but wooden spoon will be fine.

On speed number 1, if using blender, add half the water and mix until it starts to form a dough.  Add remaining water and continue to mix until a smooth dough starts to form approximately 5 minutes. Change to the dough hook and continue to mix dough for a further 10 minutes.

If using your hands continue to mix until all flour is combined and a smooth, soft and springy dough is formed.

Place olive oil in a large bowl and swirl it around to ensure that all of the inside of the bowl is greased.

Place dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm position.  Allow dough to double in size, approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

 

Once risen, take out of bowl and divide into 4 balls.  Do not knead.

Spray pizza trays with cooking spray and hand press the dough into shape.

Top with your favourite toppings.

Remaining pizza dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen.  Defrost at room temperature prior to using.

(Click here for a printable copy of this recipe)