pizza Archives - ChainBaker

The Laziest Pizza You’ll Ever Make

ChainBaker — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:00:00 +0000

Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned baker, you will appreciate a super easy recipe that yields a great result. This no-knead deep dish pizza is a perfect example of effortless baking.

I love to try many versions of the same bread as sticking to only one recipe seems quite boring to me. There are so many ways to do one thing and that is why I have so many pizza recipes on my channel along with other breads which in essence are the same but are made differently and produce a slightly different result.

You could make this pan pizza in many ways by pre-fermenting a portion of the total flour and kneading the preferment into the dough the following day. You could use more yeast and make the pizza on the same day as a straight dough. You could swap the yeast for a sourdough starter and build a leaven instead. As you can see the possibilities are plentiful.

What I decided to do is perhaps the easiest hands-off approach possible and the result is no worse because of it. A long slow fermentation builds flavour and develops texture. This long slow proof also develops gluten similarly to an autolyse and that is why we can afford to not knead or fold this dough. If you can imagine an even simpler method for this recipe, I would love to hear it.

If you are feeling really lazy, then skip making the sauce and simply get some good quality store-bought stuff instead. Or if you don’t fancy pizza, then top the dough with some roasted vegetables and parmesan and call it a focaccia. See, it is not just simple but also versatile.

The relatively high hydration gives this pizza a beautiful open crumb and a light texture.

I recently got some new pizza pans from Lloyd Pans and decided to test them out here. They worked a treat, and they better have because they were not cheap! The ones I have are quite small, so I divided the dough in two and made two pizzas. You can use one large baking dish instead or if you do not have a large one, then simply make half the recipe.

If you are interested in the pans that I am using you can find them here or here.

Ingredients

For the dough –

500g (1.1lb) strong white bread flour

1g (0.03oz) instant dry yeast or 1.2g (0.04oz) active dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) fresh yeast

10g (0.35oz) salt

50g (1.75oz) olive oil

400g (14.1oz) cold water *

*To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the sauce –

1 tin, 400g (14.1oz) tomatoes

4g (0.14oz) salt

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Oregano to taste

Pinch of chili flakes

Olive oil for cooking

To top the pizza –

Pepperoni

Grated low moisture mozzarella

Method

Make the sauce. In a small pan on medium heat combine the oil, garlic, salt, and chili. Cook for around 3 minutes or until the garlic starts browning. Add the oregano and the tinned tomatoes. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour the sauce in a bowl, cover it, and leave it in the fridge until needed.
Make the dough. In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. Stir well to dissolve any large salt crystals and to hydrate the yeast. Add the flour and mix the dough with a fork until there is no dry flour left. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. *Desired dough temperature 22C (72F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer.
Cover and ferment for 8 – 10 hours. The fermentation time can cut down by either using warmer water or more yeast. It can also be extended by using less yeast and cooler water. My kitchen was around 24C (75F), and I made this dough just before bedtime and it was ready by the time I woke up. Yes, I had pizza for breakfast!
If you are making one large pizza, then you can shape it in the bowl instead of doing what I show in the video. If you are making two smaller pizzas like I did, then get a large tray, wet it with water and wet your hands. Release the dough from the bowl and place it on the tray. Water will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and to the tray. Pinch the dough in half to get two even pieces.
Shape the dough pieces lightly by lifting them up and folding them underneath themselves just as if you were performing a ‘coil fold’ on a stretchy dough.
Brush your pans with oil and place the dough inside. Brush the surface of the dough with oil too.
Ferment for around 2 hours or until doubled in size. The dough should be visibly puffed up and quite wobbly when you give the tray a shake. *During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 230C (450F) fan off.
Top the dough and bake it for 25 – 30 minutes.
Let it sit in the tin for at around 10 minutes before removing otherwise you risk breaking it.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

Watch the video here

The post The Laziest Pizza You’ll Ever Make appeared first on ChainBaker.

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Buns, Perfect Tear & Share Pizza

ChainBaker — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +0000

So, what do you do when you really love pizza and cinnamon buns? Make a delicious hybrid of both, of course! I present to you – pepperoni pizza buns.

This may be the ultimate savoury tear and share bun recipe. I knew as soon as I thought of this that it would work wonderfully. Soft and fluffy dough wrapped around a nice homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella. All you need is a cold beer and dinner is sorted.

I decided to make the dough with a sponge which is a quick preferment. It gives the bread an amazingly soft texture. And the preparation times does not extend because of it, as after adding the rest of the ingredients to the preferment it does start fermenting quite rapidly.

The preferment will make up most of the final dough and since it will be at room temperature it is important to chill down the flour for the main dough to prevent the final dough temperature getting too high. I refrigerated my flour overnight in a bowl covered with clingfilm to prevent it taking on moisture. You can place it in the freezer to get the temperature down quicker.

You can fill the dough with whatever you prefer. But make sure that any sauce that you use is not too runny to avoid making a mess. That is why the sauce I show in the video is cooked for a while to reduce it down and make it nice and thick.

I made my sauce a day ahead of time and kept it in the fridge. You can make your sauce at the same time as the dough to save time. Or you can use store bought sauce, I won’t judge.

This recipe makes 12 decently sized buns, enough for 3 greedy people.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the preferment (sponge) –

100g (3.5oz) strong white bread flour

6g (0.2oz) instant dry yeast or 7.2g (0.25oz) active dry yeast or 18g (0.6oz) fresh yeast

230g (8.1oz) water at around 19C (66F) if your kitchen is around 22 – 24C (72-75F) *

*To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the main dough –

300g (10.6oz) strong white bread flour, chilled*

8g (0.28oz) salt

30g (1oz) olive oil

*To learn more about dough temperature when using a preferment click here.

For the sauce –

200g (7oz) good quality tinned tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2g (0.07oz) salt

10g (0.35oz) olive oil

Oregano to taste

Fillings –

200g (7oz) pepperoni, chopped

200g (7oz) mozzarella, grated

More olive oil to brush the buns before baking

Method

Make the sauce. In a small pan on medium-high heat cook the chopped garlic in olive oil stirring occasionally for around 2 minutes or until the garlic starts browning. Add the salt, oregano, and tinned tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium and keep cooking for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Blitz the sauce with a blender and leave to cool down completely. If you do not have a blender, then you can keep it chunky.
Make the preferment. In a bowl combine the water, yeast, and flour. Mix well until there are no lumps. Cover and ferment for 45 minutes. The sponge should be light and airy like foam.
Add the salt and olive oil to the sponge. Mix it well to dissolve any large salt crystals. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
Tip the dough out on your table and knead for around 6 minutes. *Desired dough temperature 25 – 26C (77-79F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
Ferment for 1 – 1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.
Roll the dough out to a large rectangle. Try and make it nice and straight. Spread the sauce over it evenly leaving an edge at the top. Sprinkle on the pepperoni and mozzarella in even layers. Press the fillings into the dough using the palms of your hands.
Roll the dough up tight. Brush the top edge with water and seal the roll up.
Brush it with olive oil all over. This will make the tearing and sharing experience better by preventing the buns from fusing together.
Slice off the end pieces as they are mostly empty. You can bake them separately. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces.
Lay the buns out on a non-stick paper lined tray leaving little gaps between them.
Cover and ferment for 1.5 hours. Leave them to puff up properly as this will dictate the final texture. *During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 170C (340F) fan on.
Brush the buns lightly with olive oil. Bake for around 25 – 30 minutes.

Enjoy whilst warm and fresh and check out some more of my delicious recipes while you are devouring these buns ?

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Your oven may be different too, so your baking time may vary.

Watch the video here

The post Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Buns, Perfect Tear & Share Pizza appeared first on ChainBaker.

How to Make a 100% Biga Pizza

ChainBaker — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 15:00:00 +0000

A 100% biga pizza is something any pizza lover should try making.

I will not call it Neapolitan pizza as you can only make Neapolitan pizza in Naples and in a proper oven. So, we’re not going to waste our time pretending here. What we will do is learn to make a delicious pizza by pre-fermenting all the flour giving it an extra flavour punch. When making a regular bread with a preferment or even a pizza, we normally only ferment a portion of the total flour in advance. Since this is a 100% biga dough, that means that all the flour will be pre-fermented before finalizing the dough. The dough is the preferment.

A biga is a ‘stiff’ preferment, meaning that is contains a relatively small percentage of water. 50% in this case. That makes this type of preferment ideal for making this type of dough as we can ferment it, and then add the remaining water with the remaining ingredients to bring it up to the final hydration percentage.

If you are a beginner and none of the above made any sense to you, then do not worry as you will be able to make this pizza without any of that knowledge with my easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

This is quite a forgiving preferment as it will not as easily over-proof. Perfect for a beginner baker.

This amount of dough will make two 10-inch (24cm) pizzas. If you want to make more, simply multiply the amount of ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the biga –

300g (10.6oz) strong white bread flour

Two tiny pinches of yeast. This will make the dough rise in around 12 hours. *You can prolong this process and ferment it more slowly by adding just one pinch of yeast. Longer fermentation gives the dough a more distinct and stronger flavour and the crust will be crispier on your pizza.

150g (5.3oz) water at around 18C (64F), if your kitchen is around 23C (73F).

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

To finish the dough –

40g (1.4oz) cold water

1g (0.03oz) instant dry yeast or 3g (0.1oz) fresh yeast or 1.2g (0.04oz) active dry yeast

6g (0.2oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

For the sauce –

1 tin good quality chopped tomatoes, 400g (14oz)

5 cloves of crushed garlic, this is a lot, but I like my garlic. Feel free to use as much or little as you like

Olive oil for cooking

Salt & oregano to season

Method

Make the biga. In a bowl combine the water and the yeast. Stir to disperse. Add the flour and mix to a dough. Knead the dough until there is no more dry flour left. You do not want any lumps in this mix. Cover the dough and ferment it for around 12 hours or until visibly puffed up.
While the biga is fermenting make the sauce. In a pan cook the garlic with salt in olive oil on medium heat for around 5 minutes or until it starts to colour. Add the oregano and the chopped tomatoes. Bring it up to a simmer, turn the heat down and keep cooking for around 15 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let it cool down. *You can blitz the sauce in a food processor if you want it smoother.
Mix the remaining yeast with the remaining water and let it hydrate for a minute.
Add the yeast water, olive oil and salt to the biga. Wet your hand with water and work the ingredients together until well combined.
Tip the dough out on your table and knead it using the stretch & fold method for around 8 minutes until nice and smooth. The dough may still be a little sticky, so wet your hands with water when handling it. *Desired dough temperature 24-25C (75-77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
Place the dough in a bowl, cover it and let it ferment for 1 hour.
Fold.
Ferment for another hour.
Divide the dough in 2 equal pieces using your dough scraper and a dusting of flour to prevent it from sticking.
Shape the dough into tight balls.
Place it on a tray, dust it lightly with flour, cover it up and let it ferment for 1 – 1.5 hours or until doubled in size. You can also place it in the fridge right after shaping for up to 18 hours. *During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 250C (480F) fan off. If your oven can go higher, then preheat it to the highest setting. Trust me it will not be too hot! Don’t forget to preheat your baking stone or cast-iron pan if you are using one.
Shape the pizza, top it with your favourite toppings and pop it in the oven. Remember that less is more! Do not use too much sauce or too much cheese as the base may not bake properly and you could end up with a puddle in your pizza.
Bake for around 8 minutes or until the crust is nice and dark.
Garnish with some fresh basil when it comes out of the oven. Let is sit for 5 minutes and tuck in.

Check out the breads with pre-ferment page for more delicious bread made with pre-fermented flour.

Keep in mind that the conditions in each kitchen are different, so fermentation times may vary for you. It is up to the baker to control the bread and react accordingly.

Watch the video here

The post How to Make a 100% Biga Pizza appeared first on ChainBaker.

Stromboli with a Delicious Tomato Sauce on the Side

ChainBaker — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 16:00:00 +0000

Stromboli is basically a big pizza loaf.

When you want a loaf of bread, but you love pizza too much! 🙂 Stromboli originated in the Italian American community. It is literally a rolled-up pizza, but with the sauce served on the side. If you like pizza, then you will love this.

This recipe makes a large loaf. Enough to feed 4 greedy people. You can fill it with your favourite fillings. The customizability is endless with this one. Just make sure that you do not use fillings that are very wet as they will make the loaf soggy.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the preferment (biga) –

70g (2.5oz) strong white bread flour

40g (1.5oz) water

Pinch of yeast

For the main dough –

290g (10.2oz) strong white bread flour

4g (0.14oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh

7g (0.25oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

175g (6.2oz) cold water

To learn more about dough temperature when using a preferment click here.

Filling –

80g (2.8oz) sliced salami

200g (7oz) sliced pepperoni

200g (7oz) mozzarella

30g (1oz) parmesan

For the sauce –

1 tin 400g (14oz) good quality chopped tomatoes

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, finely diced

Oil, salt, pepper, oregano to season

To finish –

1 egg for brushing

20g (0.7oz) parmesan for sprinkling

Method

Make the tomato sauce by sweating down the onion and garlic with a little bit of olive oil for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and chopped tomatoes. Cook for another 20 minutes. You can blend it if you like or leave it chunky. Set aside to cool down.
To make the preferment (biga) mix the water, pinch of yeast and flour. Cover and ferment for 10 – 12 hours.
In a bowl mix the remaining water, yeast, salt & olive oil. Add the preferment and the remaining flour. Mix to a dough.
Knead for 6 – 7 minutes. Desired dough temperature 25C (77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
Cover & ferment for 45 minutes.
Fold.
Ferment for another 45 minutes.
Roll the dough out to a rectangle shape. Brush with the egg all over the surface. Layer with the salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, and parmesan. Fold the edges up and roll it into a log.
Place on a tray, cover and ferment for 1.5 hours. During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 160C FAN ON.
Brush the loaf with egg, let it dry for 5 minutes, then brush again. Sprinkle with the parmesan and a little oregano.
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until the internal temperature reads above 94C (200F).
Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Watch the video here

The post Stromboli with a Delicious Tomato Sauce on the Side appeared first on ChainBaker.

Easy and Delicious Handmade Calzone Recipe

ChainBaker — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 12:18:50 +0000

Calzone is a delicious pizza pocket.

It is quite literally a folded over pizza. I trust most of you are aware of it. Well, it is quite simple to make and that is what I will show you in this video. We are doing a quick version this time, using no preferment. This recipe makes 3 large calzones. Multiply the amount of ingredients to make more.

No, this is by no means an authentic Italian version, but it is just as delicious. Apparently in Italy they add the tomato sauce to the inside of the calzone or even on the top before it goes in the oven. Serving it on the side is an Italian-American thing. I like all versions and I am not too fussed about it. Make it the way you like it. Use your favourite fillings and enjoy.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

350g (12.3oz) strong white bread flour

10g (0.3oz) wholemeal flour

4g (0.14oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

7g (0.25oz) salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

220g (7.75oz) cold water

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the filling –

250g (8.8oz) ricotta

210g (7.4oz) pepperoni

150g (5.3oz) smoked ham

100g (3.5oz) olives

50g (1.75oz) parmesan

Basil leaves

Black pepper

For the sauce –

1 tin 400g (14oz) good quality chopped tomatoes

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, finely diced

Oil, salt, pepper, oregano to season

1 whole egg for brushing

Method

Make the tomato sauce by sweating down the onion and garlic with a little bit of olive oil for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and chopped tomatoes. Cook for another 20 minutes. You can blend it if you like or leave it chunky. Set aside to cool down.
Mix the ricotta, olives, black pepper, basil & most of the parmesan. Leave on the side for later.
In a bowl combine the water, yeast, salt, oil & wholemeal flour. Mix well.
Add the rest of the flour and mix to a dough.
Tip the dough out on your table and knead it for 6 minutes. Desired dough temperature 25C (77F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more rapidly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. Adjust proofing time accordingly.
Cover & ferment for 1 hour.
Fold.
Ferment for 1 more hour.
Divide into 3 equal pieces. Preshape.
Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Shape into balls once again. Cover and ferment for 1 hour. During this time preheat your oven to 180C (350F) FAN ON.
Roll the dough out and fill it with your fillings of choice. Brush the edge with egg and seal the dough up. Brush the surface, sprinkle with parmesan and cut a few slits to prevent the loaf from blowing up.
Bake for around 25 minutes.
Let it cool down for at least 10 minutes before tucking in. Serve with the tomato sauce at room temperature. Enjoy!

Watch the video here

The post Easy and Delicious Handmade Calzone Recipe appeared first on ChainBaker.

No-Knead Sourdough Pan Pizza Recipe

ChainBaker — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:50:57 +0000

No-knead bread can be extremely rewarding if done right.

The minimal effort it takes to make a bread like this yields a delicious result. Let the dough do its thing and relax. I have also included a recipe for the sauce. And if you do not have a sourdough starter, then I have a regular yeasted no-knead pizza recipe too.

You can use any toppings you like. Go as crazy as you want. Just do not over do it. Too much stuff on top will weight the dough down and make it harder to bake. Do not use too many ‘wet’ ingredients because that will result in a puddle on top of the pizza. But you already know all of this if you have ever made a pizza before.

This recipe is for a 10” square pan. It is a pizza that would easily feed 2 very greedy mouths and then some!

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the levain –

60g (2.1oz) strong white bread flour

40g (1.4oz) water

10g (0.35oz) sourdough starter

For the main dough –

200g (7oz) strong white bread flour

6g (0.2oz) salt

15g (0.5oz) olive oil

135g (4.75oz) water at around 21C (70F) if your kitchen is around 22 – 24C (71-75F)

To learn more about dough temperature when using a preferment click here.

Extra olive oil for pouring

Method

Make the levain by mixing the water, sourdough starter & flour. Cover and ferment for 10 – 12 hours at around 22C (71F). If your kitchen is cooler or warmer, then it might take longer or less time. It should have at least doubled in size.
In a bowl combine the remaining water, salt, olive oil, and leavain. Mix well.
Add the flour and mix until no dry flour left. Make sure there are no lumps. Mix for longer if need be. Desired dough temperature 23C (73F). If your dough is warmer, then it will ferment more quickly. If it is cooler, then it will take longer. You can adjust your water temperature to control this.
Cover and rest for 5 minutes. Fold#1. Rest for 5 more minutes. Fold #2. Rest for 5 minutes. Fold #3. Rest for 5 minutes. Fold #4.
After the 4th fold cover the dough & ferment it for 6 hours or until doubled in size.
Pour a bit of oil around the dough & release it from the bowl using your scraper. Turn it so that it gets covered by the oil all over.
Place in a non-stick tray. If you do not have a non-stick tray, then use some non-stick paper to line your tray.
Final proof 2 hours or until visibly puffed up and when poked with a finger leaves and indentation. During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 230C (450F) no fan.
Top the pizza with your favourite toppings and bake it for 20 – 25 minutes.
Let it set in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.

Watch the video here

The post No-Knead Sourdough Pan Pizza Recipe appeared first on ChainBaker.

24 Hour No-Knead Deep Dish Pizza Recipe

ChainBaker — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 09:02:50 +0000

Well, the title says it all. Making no-knead bread is such a chilled-out process. This dough benefits from the long fermentation time. It adds a lot of flavour.

Ideally a non-stick pan would work best for this because that will give the pizza a nice crispy bottom. But if you do not have a non-stick pan, then just line a tray with non-stick paper. This recipe is for a 10” square pan. It is a pizza that would easily feed 2 very greedy mouths and then some!

You can top this pizza with whatever toppings you like. Go as crazy as you want. Or keep it classic. The only thing to remember is not to over load the dough. As with any pizza – less is more. The more toppings you add the more difficult it will be to bake the dough properly.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough – 250g (8.8oz) strong white bread flour

5g (0.2oz) salt

2g (0.07oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

10g (0.35oz) olive oil

170g (6oz) water at around 22C (72F) if your kitchen is around 25C (75F).

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the toppings –

180g (6.5oz) grated mozzarella

Parmesan, oregano & basil leaves

For the sauce –

1 tin good quality peeled tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

Leftover basil stalks

Pinch of oregano

Pinch of salt

Splash of olive oil

Blend it all with a food processor and that is your sauce. Add the ingredients to your liking or just buy some readymade sauce. I won’t judge!

Method

Add the water, salt, yeast, oil, and flour to a bowl and mix until well combined. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Desired dough temperature 24 – 25C (75-77F).
First fold, rest for 5 minutes, second fold, rest for 5 minutes, third fold, rest for 5 minutes, fourth fold.
Rest for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate for up to 48 hours. This will give you great flexibility with when to bake.
When you are ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and place it in a well-oiled pan. Stretch it out using your fingertips.
Cover and proof for 1.5 – 2h. The dough should puff up and fill the pan a little more. During the final hour of proofing preheat your oven to 230C (450F) fan off. And place a solid base (like a cast iron skillet) in the oven to pre heat if you have one.
Once the dough is ready sprinkle it with most of the cheese, then cover with basil leaves and sauce all over. Finish with the remaining cheese and a little oregano. I ended up not using all the sauce.
Bake for around 25 – 30 minutes or until dark brown all over and crusty around the sides.
Take the pan out and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before removing the pizza.

Let it cool down a bit and enjoy!

Watch the video here

The post 24 Hour No-Knead Deep Dish Pizza Recipe appeared first on ChainBaker.

Handmade Sourdough Pizza Recipe

ChainBaker — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:27:11 +0000

Using natural leavening and fermenting for a long time will give your bread more flavour and a crispier crust.

This makes it perfect for use in pizza. The distinct tangy flavour and the crispiness makes this a great pie. This dough will make 3 x 10in (24cm) pizzas. If you have never shaped a pizza before, then do not rush that step. Take your time, watch my hands and repeat and you will be flipping pizzas in no time.

You can top them with whatever toppings you like. Do not over load them though because less is more when it comes to pizza.

As ever with sourdough bread you have to keep in mind that each starter is different and the conditions in each kitchen are different. Take the proofing times with a grain of salt as your starter may be more or less active and your kitchen may be cooler or warmer.

Watch the video down below to see detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the levain –

70g (2.5oz) strong white bread flour

70g (2.5oz) water at around 20 – 22C (68 – 71F).

7g (0.25oz) sourdough starter

For the main dough –

300g (10.6oz) strong white bread flour

220g (7.75oz) water at around 20 – 22C (68 – 71F).

7g (0.25oz) fine sea salt

20g (0.7oz) olive oil

To learn more about dough temperature control when using a preferment click here.

For the topping –

1 tin good quality plum tomatoes

pinch of oregano

pinch of black pepper

pinch of salt

splash of olive oil

Fresh basil leaves

Mozzarella

Feel free to top your pizza with whatever you fancy!

Method

Make the levain by mixing the flour, water, and sourdough starter. Ferment for 12 – 16 hours.
Mix the remaining water and flour to autolyse. Leave for 2 – 3 hours.
Add the levain to the autolyse along with the oil and work together by hand.
Tip the dough out on your table and knead using the stretch & fold method for around 5 minutes.
Stretch the dough out and sprinkle evenly with the salt, rub it in with a wet hand.
Bring it all back together in a ball and knead for another 5 minutes. Desired dough temperature 22 – 23C (71 – 73F). If it is warmer, then you might have to proof it for less time and if it is cooler then you will have to leave it for longer.
Place the dough in a bowl and proof for 1 hour.
Fold #1.
Proof for 1 hour.
Fold #2.
Proof for 1 hour.
Fold #3.
Proof for 1 hour.
Divide into 3 equal pieces of around 230g (8.1oz) each.
Preshape into round balls.
Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Final shape.
Refrigerate for up to 18h. One hour before baking pre-heat your oven and your pan or stone to 250C (480F) fan on.
Take out your pizza balls 30 minutes prior to baking, this will make them easier to stretch out.
Shape the pizza, top with your favourite toppings and bake for 7 – 9 minutes.

Let it cool down slightly before devouring!

Watch the video here

The post Handmade Sourdough Pizza Recipe appeared first on ChainBaker.

Simple Hand Made Pizza Recipe

ChainBaker — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:08:49 +0000

Making pizza by hand is just a rewarding thing to do with delicious results.

Most domestic ovens are not hot enough to make ‘proper’ pizza which should take no more than two minutes of cooking. That is why we use the maximum temperature available and bake the pizza on a thick bottomed cast iron pan or a baking stone. This will get you as close to the real thing with basic home equipment.

You can also refrigerate the dough balls for up to 12 hours after shaping. Once you are ready to bake, just take them from the fridge, stretch them, top them and pop them in a hot oven.

A longer slower fermentation gives the pizza a more distinct flavour.

If you have never made a bread with preferment before, then this is a great starting point. Using preferments add flavour and texture to any bread. The preferment we are using in this recipe is called a ‘biga’ which is a relatively low hydration preferment that is easy to work with and it is quite forgiving.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

For the ‘biga’ –

70g (2.5oz) strong white bread flour

42g (1.5oz) water at room temperature if your kitchen is around 20-22C (68-71F)

0.2g (0.007oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

For the main dough:

290g (10.2oz) strong white bread flour

4g (0.14oz) dry yeast or three times the amount of fresh yeast

7g (0.25oz) salt

18g (0.6oz) olive oil

203g (7.1oz) water at room temperature if your kitchen is around 20-22C (68-71F)

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

Method

Mix all the ‘biga’ ingredients and leave to ferment for 12 – 16h or until just starting to collapse in on itself. If the preferment is ready, but you are not, then simply place it in your fridge which will cool it down and stop the fermentation. Get back to it when you can and use it straight from the fridge.
Add the water, yeast, salt and biga to a bowl and mix.
Add the rest of the flour and knead for around 4 minutes.
Stretch the dough out, pour over the olive oil and work it in by tearing. Continue until it all comes together.
Cover and ferment for 30 minutes.
Fold.
Ferment for another 30 minutes.
Fold. At this point pre-heat your oven to its maximum temperature and pre-heat your baking vessel too. Your oven may be more powerful than mine, so your pizza may bake more quickly. Keep an eye on it.

9. Ferment for another 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and preshape. You can eyeball it or use your scales.
Rest for 20 – 30 minutes.
Stretch out, cover with your preferred toppings, and bake for around 7 – 8 minutes until nicely browned and the bottom cooked thoroughly. Shaping pizza is a skill which takes time to learn, but if you take your time and follow my instructions, then you will be able to shape it easily. And even if you make a wonky pizza it will still taste great.

Let it cool down slightly and enjoy!

Watch the video here

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