HTEAC Does Dinner: Alton Brown's Pizza Dough

I wish I could start this entry by showing you my yummy dance. However, I haven't had my shower today, and I don't think I'd be too cute in front of a camera! The yummy dance is an involuntary reaction I have whenever I taste something rrreeeaaalllyyy yummy! And last night my yummy dance was brought on by Alton Brown's pizza dough! I am new to pizza dough, and until recently I've put my faith in the America's Test Kitchen recipe I made here. That all changed when I saw the episode of Good Eats about pizza dough. I was interested to see what kind of difference it makes when you let your dough rise for 24 hours instead of 1 1/2 hours. Folks, the answer is ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD! Alton Brown's dough produced a very flavorful, chewy crust. It was everything I love about pizza crust. I doubled the recipe and made 2 12-inch pizzas. Even though he suggests not using rapid rise yeast, I did anyway because I didn't have regular instant yeast on hand. He warns that rapid rise yeast will basically produce a monstrous piece of dough that will attack Ken and Barbie in their kitchen. I saw no such thing and had great results with the rapid rise yeast! I also read the reviews on the Food Network website, and I cut back on the amount of salt and sugar.

I didn't get really great pictures, because I was expecting company and was kinda in a rush to get the pizzas in the oven. But here are a few pics and a video from the dough making process.

First, the dough has to knead in a mixer for 15 minutes. My mixer was bouncing all over the counter! And of course, I'm a tard, and I recorded it sideways. OOPS!

This is the window pane test. After 15 mins of kneading in the mixer, you should be able to stretch a piece if dough to a thin membrane without it tearing. Sorry about the lighting! Ready to go in the fridge for an 18-24 hour rise! After rising in the fridge for 24 hours, the dough should be about 1.5x it's original size. The dough needs to rest for 30 mins before being stretched out.

For the sauce, I kinda made up my own recipe.
Basic Pizza Sauce
Makes enough for 2 12-inch pizzas, plus some for dipping!

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatos, drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
Red pepper flakes, optional

Simmer all ingredients over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature. Pour sauce into a food processor and pulse until it reaches the texture you desire. I like a slightly chunky sauce!

This is a double batch of Alton Brown's recipe with some minor adaptions.
Pizza Dough
Makes 2 12-inch pizzas

4 tablespoons sugar (I reduced it to 3)
2 tablespoons kosher salt (I reduced it to 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 110 degrees F)
4 cups bread flour (approx. 22 ounces)
2 teaspoons instant yeast (rapid rise worked for me!)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, for the bowl (This was too much; just use enough to coat the dough ball)
Olive oil, for the pizza crust
Flour, for dusting the pizza peel (I baked mine on parchment, so I didn't need any extra flour)

Place the sugar, salt, olive oil, water, half of flour, yeast, and remaining flour into the mixer's work bowl.

Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed (I mixed on speed 4, not quite medium). Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc. Stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the baker's windowpane, or taut membrane, has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife or a dough scraper. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.

Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a tea towel and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days.

Place the pizza stone or tile onto the bottom of a cold oven and turn the oven to its highest temperature, about 500 degrees F (I put my pizza stone in the lower half of my oven, not the lowest rack). If the oven has coils on the oven floor, place the tile onto the lowest rack of the oven.

(I don't have a peel, so for this next step I stretched my dough to a 12-inch round on the counter, no extra flour needed. Then I put it on a piece of parchment to dress it. I put the parchment directly on the pizza stone.) Sprinkle the flour onto the peel and place the dough onto the peel. Using your hands, form a lip around the edges of the pizza. Stretch the dough into a round disc, rotating after each stretch. Toss the dough in the air if you dare. Shake the pizza on the peel to be sure that it will slide onto the pizza stone or tile (or bake it on parchment like I did). Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture. (I baked mine immediately and still got a chewy crust.)

Brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce thinly onto the pizza and top with whatever you like. Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 7-9 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

HTEAC Does Dinner: Homemade Spinach & Broccoli Calzone

Every now and then I get motivated to make something really cool for dinner, as opposed to busting out a box of shells and cheese and frying up a few all-beef hot dogs. Yesterday I got the urge to try homemade pizza dough. I meant to make it last year for a Daring Bakers challenge, but I never found the time. Until yesterday, I was terrified of making homemade pizza dough. The thought of yeast being a living organism really creeps me out. So I decided to do some research before I began.

I chose a recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book for Basic Pizza Dough. The recipe called for instant or rapid-rise yeast. All I had was active dry yeast. Of course I started to freak out. I was all geared up to tackle me fear of yeast and here I am with the wrong kind! Whoa... okay calm down. I quickly flipped to the front of the book where it gives a little info on yeast. I found out I could substitute active dry yeast for instant by using 25% more of it and by proofing it in warm water first. I also read somewhere else that if the water was too warm it would kill the yeast. So now I'm terrified I'm gonna kill the little creatures! I get a small cup of barely warm water (I'm praying I don't kill them), I stir the yeast in, NOTHING HAPPENS! Maybe I had an old packet of yeast. I grab the newer pack, I stir it into some more barely warm water, STILL NOTHING! I immediately go to YouTube (I like visual help). I search for "how to activate dry yeast." The very first video lets me know I'm doing something wrong. By being so worried I was gonna burn the yeast to death, I wasn't letting the water get warm enough. I tried it again with water that was comfortably warm, but not hot (My problems would be solved if I would just get an instant-read thermometer). FINALLY!! I got some action in the glass. My yeast was alive! I mixed the activated yeast in with the rest of the water from the recipe, and it was smooth sailing from then on.

So sorry for not getting pictures of the entire dough making process. I was so nervous the whole time. All I could concentrate on was doing everything right. I was so surprised by how easy all the steps were. The dough came together perfectly in the food processor. It rose perfectly in the oven with the light on. It stretched out to a nice round circle (with a little trimming of course). The filling was really easy to make. And folding and crimping the calzone was easy, too! It sounds really complicated, but really the only hard part is remembering to make the dough ahead of time. If you're reading this thinking, "Omg that's me! I'm scared to make pizza dough too!" Please please please try it! I promise you'll be making pizza dough all the time after you get over the initial fear! I'm already making plans for a pepperoni and italian sausage pizza next week. I'm even gonna make homemade sauce! :D

Dough rising by the heat from the oven light... Skip to... DINNER'S READY!
Mmmmmm... It was sooo yummy!

Recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. Btw, if you don't have this book already, you need to get it. It is so jam packed full of answers. Anytime I'm not sure about something, I grab this book and BAM! Problem solved!

Basic Pizza Dough (This is half of the recipe that in the book; It makes enough for 1 large calzone.)
2 cups (11 ounces) (plus 2 tablespoons, if needed) bread flour (I used all-purpose)
1/2 envelope (slightly more than 1 teaspoon) instant or rapid-rise yeast (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast; I wrote how to active it below)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup, plus 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

(If using active dry yeast, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water and let sit for 10 minutes or until the foam rises near the 1/2 cup line. Add yeast mixture with the remaining water in the recipe.)
1. Pulse 2 cups of the flour, yeast (if using instant), and salt together in a food processor (fitted with a dough blade if possible) to combine. With the processor running, pour the oil, then water (and yeast mixture, if using active dry yeast) through the feed tube and process until a rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let the dough rest for 2 min­utes, then process for 30 seconds longer. If after 30 seconds the dough is sticky and clings to the blade, add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and form it into a smooth, round ball. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, before using. (I let mine sit in the oven with the light on.)

To Make Ahead
In step 2, do not let the dough rise, but refrigerate it overnight or up to 16 hours; let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. Alternatively, the pizza dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; let the dough rise as directed in step 2, then wrap tightly in greased plastic wrap and squeeze. Let the frozen dough thaw on the counter for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, before using.

Spinach & Broccoli Filling (This is my own recipe)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup cottage cheese (ricotta would also work)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked broccoli florets (I just used leftovers from the night before)

Reserve cooked broccoli for adding on top. In a large bowl, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, cheeses, spinach, egg, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well.

To Assemble Calzone
1 pound pizza dough (enough for 1 large calzone)
1 recipe for Spinach & Broccoli Filling
1 lightly beaten egg, for egg wash

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Press and roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a prepared baking sheet and reshape as needed.
3. Mound the filling onto one side of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Press the broccoli florets on top of the filling. Brush the bottom edge of the dough with some of the egg wash. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the bot­tom uncovered, then press and crimp the edges to seal.
4. Score the top of the calzone with a sharp knife and brush lightly with the remaining egg wash. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the cal­zone to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead
The fully formed calzone can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 6 hours; bake as directed.