pat's Recipe

The Stone Barns Pizza Dough

Category: Pizza

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture to make sure yeast has dissolved. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the bread flour and salt. Add flour mixture and oil to the yeast mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes more. Stir in remaining flour.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough only a couple of strokes; dough will be sticky. Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease dough surface. Cover bowl; let dough rise in a warm place for 2 hours (dough will not double in size).

3. Grease three large baking sheets. Sprinkle pans lightly with cornmeal. Set aside.

4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Cut dough into three equal parts with a serrated knife. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.

5. Pat each piece of dough into a disk. On a well floured surface, roll each dough portion out to a very thin, rough circle that measures 13 inches in diameter (don't worry if pizza isn't perfectly round). For a thicker crust, roll each dough portion out into a circle that measures about 11 inches. Transfer dough circles to prepared pans.

6. Prick dough all over with a fork. (Do not let rise. If all three pans do not fit in your oven for prebaking, chill one of the pans in the refrigerator.)

Makes three 13-inch unbaked pizza crusts (twelve 2-piece servings).

7. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 12 minutes or until crust bottom is light brown. Remove from oven.

8. For each pizza, add desired toppings to prebaked crusts. Bake for 8 minutes more or until toppings are heated through and bottom crust is crisp and brown. Remove from oven. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.