Processor Pizza Dough
This pizza dough is easy with the help of a food processor. A couple of hours before dinnertime, the yeast is proofed, the ingredients combined in the processor and the dough is set aside to rise. A half hour or so before dinner, the dough is divided into individual pizzas and set aside once again. The pizzas are topped with favorite sauces and cheeses and then baked until crispy and bubbling. The salty cornmeal on the pizza peel gives a wonderful crunch and texture to the pizza crust. Originally served as part of: Artichoke Heart Pizza.
Ingredients
- 1 cup refrigerated Brita water
- 1 package active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive, plus more for greasing bowl oil
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- kosher salt
Instructions
We begin making our dough by heating the water in a large measuring cup in the microwave. We heat it for a minute and then take the temperature of the water. We want it to be approximately 110 degrees F, anywhere between 105 and 115 is fine. When it is the right temperature, we add the yeast and the sugar and stir with a fork. We set it aside for 5-10 minutes while we measure the rest of the ingredients.
In our food processor we combine 2 cups of the flour and the salt. We pulse quickly to mix. When the yeast mixture is bubbling and foamy, we add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the processor. We turn the machine on and check if the mixture will form a ball. It is too wet, so we add a quarter cup of the remaining flour. We turn it on again and the dough is starting to come together. We add another quarter cup of flour and turn the processor on. The dough forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky, but should be able to pull off of your hands.
We add a little more flour to our cutting board and knead the ball of dough with the additional flour for a minute. We then place the dough into a well greased bowl and turn the dough in the oil. We cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour out on our counter. Usually we do this in the microwave to be draft-free, but it is a nice warm day. We want the dough to be doubled in size.
After about an hour, we pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees to get our pizza stone nice and hot.
When the dough is ready, we remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down. We separate the dough into four balls. We set these aside, covered with plastic wrap for about 20 minutes.
On our cutting board, covered with some of the remaining flour, we work with one ball at a time. We have ready our pizza peel covered with some of the cornmeal and a good sprinkling of kosher salt. We spread the dough out with our fingers, and then place the thin crust on our pizza peel. Prior to putting the toppings on the dough, we give the peel a good shake to make sure that the dough will slide off when we put it into the oven.
The pizzas are cooked on the pizza stone for about 10 minutes (until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom of the crust is browned).
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold filtered water
- 1 package active dry yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for the bowl)
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- kosher salt
Instructions
What's a kid job?
A Kid job is a step kids can help with, with a grown-up nearby, not one they do on their own. Every kid is different, so go by what your child can do rather than by age. Roughly:
- Little ones (about 2 to 4) can stir, pour in ingredients a grown-up has measured, tear lettuce, wash vegetables and sprinkle toppings.
- Older kids (about 5 to 8) can also measure and level, crack eggs, whisk, roll and cut out dough, and put things together.
- Bigger kids can read the recipe aloud, keep track of the timer, and take on more of the cooking as they're ready.
Steps with a knife, microplane, skewers, stove, oven, grill or hot oil, or with raw meat, poultry or seafood, are marked Grown-up. Kids can still watch those, from a safe distance.
Microwave the water 1 minute and check that it’s about 110°F (105 to 115 is fine). Stir in the yeast and sugar with a fork and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
Pulse 2 cups of the flour and the salt in a food processor. Add the yeast and oil and process. If it’s too wet to form a ball, add flour ¼ cup at a time until it does; it should be a little sticky but pull off your hands.
Kid job
Knead 1 minute on a floured board. Turn the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic, and let it rise about 1 hour, until doubled.
Grown-up
After about an hour, heat the oven to 500°F with the pizza stone in it.
Kid job
Punch the dough down, divide it into 4 balls, and let them rest, covered, about 20 minutes.
Kid job
Sprinkle the peel with cornmeal and a good amount of salt. Spread one ball at a time with your fingers on a floured board, lay it on the peel, and shake the peel to be sure it slides. Add your toppings.
Grown-up
Slide the pizzas onto the stone and bake about 10 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and the bottom is browned.