PIZZA TO RISE: PART 1

PIZZA!! I have a theory; Indians like and eat pizza much more than the creators- Italian and copyrighters- American (always first to patent, but never to create... have I told you that the country has even patented ‘bhang’ chocolates.. beat that now!!!) Anyways, coming back to our point, PIZZA is regarded with a great respect in India. I have had the cheap 50 bucks worth ones and then the posh 1000 + worth ones. But trust me when I say, this recipe makes one of the best tasting pizza that you will ever taste. I know, its a project in its own way. The time that the dough will take to rise! The time that the pizza will take in the oven to be made! In that time though, you are actually doing no cooking but chilling around the house, lounging in front of the TV, making a beautiful pitcher of summery sangaria... etc. etc. etc.

But once done, I guarantee you a slush of such emotions, like: why didn’t I make more & when would I try it again!! However daunting the task is, you would go back to make it again, the very next weekend.

A good pizza has to start with a beautiful flavourful base. Anywhere outside your house, that base is made with refined flour and chemicals that are totally useless in your body; even though the word ‘’whole-wheat’’ screams through. But at home, there is no fooling. I make my pizza with ‘Chapatti Atta’ I get from my neighbourhood miller. Its wholesome, whole wheat and oats mixed and, ground in front of my trusted eyes. And I love the nutty flavour that it so amazingly and subtly imparts to my pizza!! Try this once atleast, before dismissing the idea..

Now to get started, the first step has to kneading and proofing the dough (D-Oh)!!

Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water (41° C–46° C)

3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp. honey
11/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil plus extra for spreading on dough
2 tsp. yeast
1-2 tsp. Cornmeal/ semolina

Method:

First of all, check the yeast you got from your grocer. Depending on which city or area you are in, you may get a choice between instant yeast or active dry yeast. I always choose the latter as it is twice cheaper than the instant ones and somehow in the Mumbai climate, it tends to shelf and work better. But if you have instant yeast, no worries just don’t do the first step and mix the yeast directly in with the water, wheat, honey, olive-oil and salt.

1.       Proof the yeast: Take half a cup of lukewarm water and mix in the honey. Once mixed thoroughly, add the 2 tsp of those little yeast globules, give it a stir with the spoon and let it stand for five minutes or so till there are tiny bubbles all over the surface of water and the mix looks kinda creamy.

2.   Now take the wheat flour in a big mixing bowl and dump in all the ingredients, except cornmeal. Mix and knead till you form clean springy dough, which springs up after you dent it slightly.

First timers, don’t fear the sticky fingers that normally happens in the beginning, but as you mix the ingredients, the dough will stick to itself and away from your fingers. Scientists call this process gluten formation, and oh we so love this exact gluten!! If you follow the measurements as I have given here, it will look just as the picture here. It should not stick, but if it does, keep a bit of the flour handy but use it ever too stingily, till it looks exactly like the picture here.

3.       This is enough to make two, medium to large pizza. So if you are only in the mood to make one, stick the other piece of dough round in some oiled cling film. Double wrap it in some foil and freeze it for later use.

Once frozen, this dough will stay for at least two months or so. Just on the day you intend to cook with the frozen dough, defrost it for a night in the refrigerator or do as I do, stick it in the microwave and defrost there. Once defrosted, leave it to double for 2 hrs or so, depending on the temperature of your kitchen!!   

4.       For the half that you intend to make right away, form it into a smooth round ball. Make sure that the top surface doesn’t have any cracks. If any crack appears pinch it together and form a smooth ball. Basically you are making the dough airtight in itself, so that the yeast germinates and the air doesn’t have a place to escape from. This air is wat will double the dough ball and make a fluffy crispy pizza base!!

5.       Now in an oiled bowl, let the dough rise til its double in size. The time taken will depend on the temperature. I normally leave my dough in the bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, inside the microwave for 1 hour to 1 and ½ hours. Wait till it doubles. This wait will be rewarded with a crispy yet fluffy pizza.

Pizza or any bread making is a science. There are steps that you need to follow and measurements that you need to exact. Hopefully you all should give it a try, at least once. See the difference in the taste and then I guarantee you, you will never buy those funny plastic like pizza bases that is available in the mkt.

“Pizza to top: Part 2” will follow in soon, keep checking the space!! Let the “D-OH” rise as of now!! Cheers!!