Jan 19

Jan 19 DLB 48-Hour Stretch & Fold Pizza Dough 88% Hydration

RECIPE

Servings (1) 10” pizza dough| Prep Time 1 hour| Total Time 2+ days (Stretch & Fold, 4-hour (room temperature) followed by a 48-hour (cold temperature) rise

INGREDIENTS

226 g all-purpose flour (I used organic unbleached all-purpose flour)

6 g vital wheat gluten

1/8 tsp rapid rise/instant yeast

1/4 tsp. pink himalayan salt (fine)

205 ml warm water (I recommend using filtered, not tap, water)

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1/3 - 1/2 cup tomato puree

6 oz. mozzerella cheese, cut up into medium sized chunks

2 T chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Weigh out each of the ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, vital wheat gluten, and yeast, and salt.
Add all of the water and mix with a fork until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Place the sticky dough into a 2 qt. container with a tight fitting lid and let rest on the counter, at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and, stretch and fold the dough repeatedly, up onto itself, by first dipping your hands into warm water with each turn, until you’ve circled the container (about 6-8 turns). Recover the lid and set the timer for another 20 minutes.
Repeat step 5 above. and then let the dough rest for 4 hours at room temperature.
After 4 hours, the dough will have risen a little and will begin to have air bubbles. Leave the dough in the sealed container and place it INTO the refrigerator for 48 hours.
Approximately two hours before you are ready to make your pizza, remove the container with the dough from the refrigerator and place it onto a large plate and cover it with an upside down bowl and let rest at room temperature for the 2 hours, to get to room temperature before shaping.
Approximately 1 hour before you shape your pizza, PRE-HEAT the oven to 550 degrees F. with a metal pizza stone on the lowest rack.
Once the is room temperature, sprinkle it lightly with flour and turn the dough gently onto a floured covered work surface, doing your best not to disturb the dough.
Alternating sides, lightly coat both sides of the soft dough ball and then begin to press VEY GENTLY from the center to the edges, to shape a 10”-11” circle, being careful not to deflate air bubbles that are formed, and leaving a “crust” perimeter of about 1/2” - 3/4”.
Once shaped, pick up the pizza dough round and gently transfer it onto the parchment paper on the pizza peel.
Lightly spread the tomato sauce (pure tomatoes, pureed) by using your fingers so as not to rip the dough with a utensil.
Transfer the shaped pizza dough AND the parchment paper to the oven, using the peel to place the pie in the oven on top of the hot stone.
Bake for 2-3 minutes, then open the oven and place the cut up chunks of mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Continue baking for 6-7 minutes, until crust is light brown.
Remove the pizza with the parchment paper, using the pizza wheel. Carefully, slide the parchment paper out from underneath the cooked pizza.
Transfer the pizza to a wired rack to cool and let cool for a few minutes and then top with cut up basil leaves before serving.