Mauros Italian Pizza Dough Recipes

STUFFED ITALIAN BEEF STROMBOLI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough and cut it into two 12-by-14-inch portions. Layer half of the cheese, then half of the Italian Beef, giardiniera and red peppers on each portion of dough. Using a pastry brush, paint one of the short borders with the egg wash. Starting with the unwashed side, roll the dough into a cylinder, pinching the ends to seal. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, poke with a fork or sharp knife to vent and brush with olive oil.
• Bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving with a sidecar of strained jus from the Italian Beef.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Liberally season the roast with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast, browning on all sides until golden and caramelized. Reduce the heat if the oil begins to smoke. Transfer the roast to a plate and lower the heat to medium.
• Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until they are just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until you no longer smell the alcohol and the wine has reduced. Add in the stock and thyme and bring to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning of the braising liquid.
• Return the roast and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Transfer to the oven and cook, turning every 30 minutes, until very tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Once the roast has cooled, pull the meat into smaller chunks.
• Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and return to the pot. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the jus with the meat.

ITALIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir yeast and sugar into lukewarm water, using a fork. Let stand in a warm place until a creamy layer forms on top of the water, about 10 minutes.
• Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix olive oil into flour and stir for 2 minutes. Pour yeast mixture and beaten egg into flour mixture and stir to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until springy and smooth, about 8 minutes. Place dough into a floured bowl and cover with a piece of plastic wrap wiped with a thin film of olive oil.
• Let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and roll out to desired shape.

NEW YORK ITALIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into the pan of a bread machine, sprinkle in the salt, and add the flour to the pan so the flour sits on top of the water. Make a hole in the top of the flour, and spoon the yeast into the hole. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes to moisten the flour. Set the bread machine to the knead setting, and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead in 1/4 cup more flour or as needed, adding the flour about 2 tablespoons at a time, to make a wet, sticky, but elastic dough. The dough should be "as soft as a baby's bottom." Form the dough into a round shape.
• Wipe the inside of a large bowl with olive oil, and place the round ball of dough into the bowl. Turn the dough over a couple of times so the dough picks up a thin coating of oil. Cover with a cloth, and refrigerate the dough for 10 hours or overnight.
• The next day, allow the dough to come to room temperature before rolling out on a floured surface and adding toppings as desired. Roll the dough out thin with a thicker edge before adding toppings.
• Place a pizza stone into oven, dust it with a little flour, and preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Bake the pizza on the stone in the preheated oven until the bottom of the crust is browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

MAURO'S ITALIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into 1/2 a cup of warm water.
• Pour the flour onto the work surface, and make a crater in the flour.
• Sprinkle the salt onto the flour.
• Add the yeast mixture, water and beer into the crater.
• Mix the flour and liquids with a fork, and then slowly start kneading the dough with your hands until it is smooth and soft.
• Let it rise for one hour.
• Knead the dough again. If it is sticky, add a bit more flour.
• Make approximately 7 balls for 7 pizzas (this depends on the size of your pan).
• Let it rise for another 45 minutes.
• While it is rising, pre-heat the oven to 230°C Place the pizza stone inside the oven as well, so that it heats up too.
• After 45 minutes, roll the dough out into a circle. Tip: use baking paper to transfer it easily to the hot pizza stone.
• Add sauce and cheese, and bake for 5-7 minutes.

OLD WORLD CHICAGO-STYLE THIN CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the milk, water, yeast and sugar. Lightly whisk and let sit until bubbly and the yeast is bloomed, about 5 minutes. Add the oil.
• Mix the all-purpose flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Set the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly add the yeast mixture until entirely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything homogenous. Knead on medium low until the dough is glossy and forms a rough ball, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm part of the kitchen until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Split the dough into 2 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the balls of dough as THIN as possible with a rolling pin. To get an even "trimmed" circle, use a large round lid to trim a rim around the dough. Sprinkle some semolina flour on a pizza peel. Carefully transfer the round of dough to the peel. Dock the crust with a fork or docker, poking holes all over the surface to keep it thin and crispy.
• Working quickly, add half of the pizza sauce almost all of the way to the edge of the crust, leaving about a 1-inch border. For the pepperoni side, place an even layer of pepperoni directly on top of the sauce on half of the pizza. Combine the skim- and whole-milk mozzarella in a large bowl and top the entire pizza with half of the cheese. Top the pepperoni side with some more scattered rounds of pepperoni. For the sausage side, spread half of the giardiniera on top of the cheese, then dollop with hunks of the Italian sausage on top. Transfer to the pizza stone in the oven and bake until golden and bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board with the pizza peel. Make another pizza with the remaining ingredients.
• Let the pizza rest for 4 or 5 minutes, then cut into small squares--never triangles. This is called the party cut. Why? Because no matter what's going on, when you're eating Chicago thin crust, it's always a big ol' party.

JEFFS EPIC HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a medium bowl (I used a measuring cup), combine the WARM water (not too hot or you'll kill the yeast), sugar and yeast until dissolved. Leave for 5 - 10 minutes until the yeast activates and the mixture develops a layer of froth on the surface.
• In a large bowl, mix the sea salt and flour and make a well in the center. Add the yeast and olive oil. Mix together with a fork or wooden spoon, and then use your hands until the dough comes together.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic (about 5 - 10 minutes) or allow the kitchen aid to do this. If the dough is too sticky or soft, add a little extra flour or if it's too dry and crumbly, add a little water.
• Shape the dough into a round ball and place in a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth for roughly 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
• Punch down the dough to remove the air and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Divide in 2 and shape each piece into round disks (this step requires common sense, meaning if you want small 6" pizzas or if you scale the recipe for more people you will need to divide the dough into more balls).
• Place the dough balls on a sheet of parchment. Cover with a light coating of oil and let them rise again, for about 20 minutes.
• Dough is now ready to add whatever toppings you like bake in a 400°F oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes (less or more time as required). Keep an eye on it until the cheese browns and the crust looks done to your liking.