America's Test Kitchen Thin-Crust Pizza

Kerena's Note:

Posting so I won't lose this recipe....haven't tried it yet.

• Total Time: 27 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 2.0 pizzas

• 3 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fast rising yeast
• 1 1/3 cups ice water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

1. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30-60 seconds. Remove dough and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minutes. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
3. Process tomatoes, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano and pepper in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. One hour before baking pizza, adjust rack in oven to second highest position, about 4-5 inches below broiler. Set pizza stone on rack and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3" apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with non-stick spray; let stand for 1 hour.
5. Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well floured countertop. Using fingers gently flatten into 8" disk, leaving 1" of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch dough disk into 12" round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to a well floured peel and stretch into 13" round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 c tomato sauce in a thin layer over the surface of dough, leaving 1/4" border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 c Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 c mozzarella. Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat this with second ball of dough.

Reviews

[north44]

I have made a lot of yeast dough, have had bread makers and used kitchen aid mixers, but this is the fastest easiest way to make the best pizza I have ever made. As to the sauce being runny, just make sure you drain the tomatoes well first and only process for the 30 seconds or so. Preheating the pizza stones, I use pampered chef and cooking near the top of the oven really made the difference.

[Blue Dog]

Best pizza recipe I have tried (and I've tried a lot). I loved the idea of making the dough a couple days ahead. Very little kneading required with the use of the food processor. My only complaint was that the sauce was so thin. Once we cut the pizza into slices, the watery sauce made the dough soggy. The sauce was delicious though, couldn't stop tasting it. I have a feeling this will be a new staple in my house. Next time I will simmer the sauce a bit to thicken.