NY Style Dough
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (105F)
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon yeast
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the warm water with sugar and salt until dissolved.
2. Add the olive oil and then the flour. Stir with a heavy spoon for 1 minute.
3. Turn the mixture out onto a floured board and press it into a circle. The dough will be quite dry.
4. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the dough and knead it for twelve minutes.
5. Divide the dough into portions:
- 6 oz. for Calzones
- 10 oz. for a 9-inch pizza
- 18 oz. for a 12-inch pizza
- 25 oz. for a 15-inch pizza
(Note: This recipe makes about 34 oz. Adjust ingredient amounts for your specific needs.)
6. Shape each portion by sliding your palms across the top portion of the dough while curving your fingers inward toward each other and "tucking" the dough into the center. You want a dough ball without visible seams except at the bottom.
7. Place the formed dough balls on a plate, cover them with plastic, and allow them to proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature if you plan to use them the same day. Alternatively, you can store them in the refrigerator to use the next day.
8. When ready to stretch the dough, place a dough ball on a lightly floured surface and lightly flour the top. Use your fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball, working from the edges to the center. Alternatively, you can use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch the dough to the desired shape.
9. Cooking pizzas with this dough should be done on a baking stone. Using a pan will result in a very soft, "doughy" crust. Preheat the baking stone in the oven to 500F for an hour prior to baking, and position it in the middle of the oven.
10. After stretching the dough, liberally sprinkle cornmeal or semolina on a pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza into the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the stone easily.
11. Once you have topped the pizza, lightly blow air underneath an edge of the dough to loosen any sticky areas and redistribute the cornmeal. Shake the peel or cutting board to ensure that none of the dough is sticking.
12. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated baking stone in the oven.
By following these steps, you should be able to achieve an authentic New York-style pizza with a delicious, thin and crispy crust. Enjoy your homemade pizza!
