Master Pizza Dough + Garlicky Pesto Pizza with Parma Ham
A Neapolitan style pizza. Thin chewy airy crust with classic tomato sauce, oozing cheese, roasted garlic and salty parma ham.
Servings: 2 9" pizzas
Calories: 136kcal
Ingredients
Master Pizza Dough
- 375 g (3 cups) tipo 00 flour or bread flour
- 254 mL (1 cup + 1 tbsp) water lukewarm
- 11 g (1½ tsp) salt
- ¼ tsp instant yeast
- 10 g (¾ tbsp) olive oil
Toppings
- 400 g (1 can) crushed tomatoes drained
- ½ tbsp maple syrup or agave
- pinch of salt
- 100 g mozzarella finely grated
- 100 g sharp cheddar finely grated
- parma ham thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (3 cloves) garlic chopped
- 3 tbsp homemade or store-bought pesto
- basil leaves optional but always welcome
Instructions
Master Pizza Dough
- Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and give it a quick stir. Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil, mixing until you get a shaggy dough. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes or until you achieve a smooth pliable dough. Alternatively, you can do all of this in a mixer with the hook attachment.
- Divide the dough equally into two (317g/ball) and shape into a boule by pulling one end under and repeating with all the edges to form a smooth taut ball (see tips above for shaping). Place boule on a floured sheet or container and drizzle some olive oil over each ball to prevent it from drying out. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 1½ hours or until double in size. Use immediately or for better flavor, place in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Sauce and Toppings
- Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) or its highest setting. Place your baking sheet inside to heat up.
- Combine the drained crushed tomatoes, maple syrup and salt in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- If using refrigerated dough, remove from the fridge 2 hours before using to allow it to come to room temperature. Lightly flour your work surface and place the dough over your knuckles, rotating it, allowing gravity to do most of the stretching. If the dough resists stretching wait for 30 seconds and start handling the dough again. You should get an 8"-9" pizza round.
- Transfer the shaped pizza round to the hot baking sheet (being careful not to burn yourself) and place pan on the highest rack of your oven to half cook the crust. Once the crust starts to brown. remove and place your sauce and toppings. Return to the oven to fully bake, about 6-7 minutes. Repeat process with the other dough ball. Slice and serve while hot. Enjoy!
Notes
*For more tips on pizza shaping check the tips part of this post.
*Remember to keep mittens nearby as you're dealing with some very hot stuff.
*This can easily be made vegan by subbing in plant based cheese and removing the parma ham.
Dough recipe adapted from acouplecooks.com