California Pizza Kitchen Pizza Dough

Submitted by Pain au Chocolat

"Years ago, in finer times, the California Pizza Kitchen website listed their recipes for pizza dough and tomato sauce. Unfortunately they've long since removed that particular content, but not before yours truly could write down the recipe. FAIR WARNING - This is an overnight pizza dough. It can be used day-of, but the difference in flavor is staggering."

 

• Ready In: 24hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 2 small pizzas or calzones
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (at about 110F)
• 1 1⁄2 cups bread flour (high gluten flours also work)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (1 for dough & 1 for the bowl)

directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water and let it proof for 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast should have a little island of fizz/bubbles before you start. (if you're using instant yeast dissolve it in the water and skip the proof).
2. In a separate bowl mix all of the dry ingredients and create a little well in the middle. Dump your yeast mixture and the olive oil into the well and stir with either your fingers or a wooden spoon.
3. Once a lumpy kind of dough forms lightly oil your hands and start to knead the ball. Knead it for at least 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth but slightly tacky.
4. Lightly coat the ball in olive oil and place in an airtight container, allow to rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
5. You can use the dough at this point, but for a finer texture and a nice, mellow sort of tang do the following: Deflate the dough, bunch it back up into a ball, put it back into the container, and stow it in your refrigerator overnight.
6. About 2 hours before you're going to make your pizza remove the dough from the refrigerator, deflate again, and split into 2 equal portions. Roll both portions into balls, sealing any cracks as tightly as possible. Place the new dough balls on opposite sides of a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let them sit at room temperature for the aforementioned 2 hours (they'll be much easier to shape).
7. After this just heat your pizza stone (or failing that, the floor of your oven with both racks taken out) to 500 degrees F, roll out your dough balls, top them, and slide them into the oven using a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel (or failing that, anything smooth and thin enough to manuever, like a cutting board).
8. Your pizzas will cook very quickly, so it's easier to just eyeball their progress than try to time them.

Reviews

[Linajjac]

Great dough! I’ve doubled this recipe. Made 8 6 inch pizzas.

 

[ColoradoCooking]

I make a variety of pizza doughs and this is a really good one in the mix. One of the clones we make is their BLT pizza. I use it for other types of themed pizzas as well. Pics with before and after the BLT mix.

 

[Shereen N.]

YAY! This recipe worked perfect on the first try. I have failed so many times at making pizza dough at home, but as soon as I tried this recipe I got it right! I will definitely make this again.

 

[robsfoodblog]

I use this recipe all the time. It always turns out great! This recipe and more can be found in their cook book.<br/><br/>http://www.rakuten.com/prod/the-california-pizza-kitchen-cookbook/30001495.html?listingId=-1&s_kwcid=

 

[Mishy111]

FINALLY! I'm so excited about this recipe. I have tried so many pizza dough recipes trying, hoping, praying to get the texture I was looking for. This is it. I guess the secret to the texture is the whole process and putting it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight? Who knew? :-) Thanks for posting!