Pizza made with quick-rise dough

This dough is so easy and quick, you can decide to make this when you get home from work, wait 30 min. for the dough to rise, and then use that beautiful tomato sauce that you have in the freezer if you want a red sauce pizza.  I first discovered this recipe in a ‘low-fat’ cookbook but have modified it to add a little more olive oil, as well as adjusting the types of flour depending upon what I have on hand in my kitchen.

So first, add all the ingredients in a stand-mixer, except for the water and oil.  Give it a quick stir to blend together.  Then create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the water/oil mixture.  Then blend using the dough hook attachment until it pulls away from the bowl and forms a ball.  Using a little flour on a counter surface, take dough and give it a few quick turns, kneading using the palm of your hand.  Just a few will do.  Then I put some flour in a plastic bag, put the dough in the bag, cover with a towel, (OR you could pop it right into the freezer in plastic wrap for later use, just defrost on counter and let rise and continue with following directions) and let it rise for at least 30 min.

Once it has risen, approximately doubled in size, starting in the middle of the dough start to spread it out using your hands to shape it into the pan size of your choice.  I use a cookie sheet that is 12×17, lined with parchment paper to avoid sticking to the pan.  Then add any ingredients of your choice.  For this version, I initially spread fig jam in a very thin layer onto the dough using the back of a spoon.  Then I add Mom’s homemade tomato sauce, sausage (browned in skillet), fresh mozzarella, arugula, and then topped with some grated mozzarella to fill in around the fresh and to cover out to the edges of the pizza.

So now this goes into a pre-heated 475 deg oven on the middle rack for approx. 9 min.  Then I rotate the pan 180 deg, turn the oven up to 500 deg, continue cooking for approx. 3-5 more minutes depending upon how dark you like the crust and cheese.  Remove from oven and let cool on pan for a few minutes to allow cheese to set, then slide onto a big cutting board to slice.  This was SOOOOOOOOOO good.  And so quick and easy.  You can use whatever toppings you want, depending upon what is in your frig and freezer.  Just don’t get too heavy-handed with the toppings because it will weigh down the dough too much and be difficult to pick up with your hands.

Pizza made with quick-rise dough

May 25, 2018

Servings: 2-4 people

Difficulty: easy

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quick-rise pizza dough to use right away or to freeze for later use

By: maura

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 TBSP. whole wheat flour (or AP, bread, other flour)
• 1 TBSP. corn meal, medium coarseness
• 1/2 tsp. salt, kosher
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 pkg. rapid-rise (fast-acting) yeast
• 3/4 cup warm tap water
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Directions

• Step 1 Line 12×17 cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Step 2 Preheat oven to 475 deg
• Step 3 Add all dry ingredients to stand mixer and stir together using spatula. Create a well in center.
• Step 4 Add oil to water and add to bowl in the well you just made.
• Step 5 Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed until dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl.
• Step 6 Knead dough with your hands on floured counter surface for 5-10 kneads using your palm and turning after each knead.
• Step 7 Put in plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel and let rise for at least 30 min.
• Step 8 Or, before it rises, you could pop it right into the freezer in plastic wrap for later use, just defrost on counter and let rise and continue with following directions.
• Step 9 Form dough to shape of pan and add sauce and toppings as you wish.
• Step 10 Bake for 9 min., turn pan 180 deg, increasing oven temp to 500 deg, bak an additional 3-5 min. to desired level of brownness.
• Step 11 Let cool on pan a few minutes and then slide onto cutting surface and let cool until cheese sets.