Airy Pizza Dough With Bread Machine Recipes

BREAD MACHINE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to the bread machine's baking pan in the order listed (4 cups flour, 1 3/4 cups water, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp dried active yeast, 4 tbsp oil). Close the lid and turn the bread maker to the "leavened dough" cycle which typically runs for 1 hour 30 minutes. After about 20 minutes of the cycle check on the dough to make sure that all flour is incorporated and you have a smooth soft ball. If the dough looks too runny, add a little more flour, one table spoon at a time, until the dough comes into a soft ball. Do not add too much flour or the pizza will be doughy and dense.
• Preheat oven: Meanwhile, place the baking rack in the top 1/3rd of the oven, then put the baking stone or steel on top. Preheat the oven to 550F or as high as your oven will allow for 1 hour before baking.
• Divide and Shape balls: Once the dough cycle is complete turn the dough out onto floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces, use a kitchen scale if you prefer to be precise.Shape each piece into a taught ball. To do so, flatten the ball into a patty, then fold it in half, then in half again. Continue folding in half until it is too hard to fold it in half again. Now tuck all ends under until you have a smooth, taught ball. Set aside, smooth side up to rest on floured surface for about 15 - 20 minutes, spacing them about 4 inches. Lightly sprinkle with flour and cover with a tea towel to prevent a crust from forming. (See Note 1)
• Prepare the toppings: depending on your preference prepare the toppings & sauce for the pizza.
• Stretch: flour your work surface well, then add 1 dough ball while keeping the remainder of the pizza balls covered. Now, gently press in the middle of the pizza with the flat part of your fingers working around a circle from the inside towards the outer edges to stretch the ball into a 10" - 12" without deflating 1 inch of the outer edge. Tip: Avoid using a rolling pin to roll the pizza dough, while a simpler and quicker method this will deflate the dough, and the pizza will not be as airy and light as it would be if you stretch the pizza.Transfer the pizza dough onto parchment paper (my preferred method), pizza pan (I use this one, but you can use any) or a wooden or metal pizza peel generously sprinkled with semolina.
• Add toppings: add about 1/4 cup of pizza sauce and spread it around evenly, staying off the edges. Then add about 1 1/3 cups of grated mozzarella cheese (full fat) followed by toppings of choice. If using a wooden pizza peel to transfer the pizza make sure to shake the pizza on the peel back and forth every so often as you're adding toppings to make sure the pizza does not stick to the pizza peel.
• Bake: slide the pizza onto the hot stone/steel and bake for about 7 minutes per pizza, or until the edges of the pizza are well browned and the cheese in the middle bubbles, keeping a close eye to make sure that it does not burn. Note the bake time and set the timer for the second pizza for that time. Using a timer is very helpful at preventing the pizza from burning.If baking inside a pizza pan with no pizza stone/steel bake for about 13 minutes or until the edges are well browned and the cheese is bubbly in the middle.
• Remove from the oven: my favorite way to get the pizza out of the oven is to use a metal pizza peel, it slides under the parchment or pizza easily and is easy to clean and maintain.Transfer to a wooden board, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

SICILIAN-STYLE PIZZA DOUGH (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed or as suggested by manufacturer. Set the bread machine to the "dough" setting.
• After dough cycle is complete, remove dough from the bread machine and place it on a lightly floured cutting board (dough will be very sticky). Cover with a piece of saran wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
• Punch down dough and form crust on baking sheets, pizza pans, or pizza stone. Top with your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings. For thick crust pizza, allow dough to rise for 10 minutes before adding sauce and toppings.
• Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes.