dmf@whuxi.UUCP (FLANAGAN) (08/09/84)
Disregard my last name; the following is an Italian's easy way out
for pizza.
Go to local Italian or French bakery and have them sell you FRESH, not
FROZEN Italian or French bread dough. (That's all the crust is at every
pizza place you go to)
Let is rise again in a GLASS bowl on your counter covered with a towel.
(keep away from drafts).
Punch down and DO NOT (if you can help it) put extra flour on dough
(this makes it very dry and makes the crust crack).
Put VERY LITTLE oil on the bottom of a cookie sheet. TOO MUCH oil will
give you a hell of a time trying to spread the dough out.
Spread the dough best as possible with HEEL of hands. The rest BE
PATIENT and spread with fingertips. Takes time, but it gets there.
I now have the oven low at 250 or so, and place the cookie sheet with
only the dough on in, in the oven for 5-10 minutes, since home pizza
tends to be a little doughy and raw in the center.
Rub, again, very little oil on the top of the dough and put your
gravy (recipe to follow below) of you choice on top. The BEST
mozzarella to use (if you can find it) is "wet mozzarella" which
is fresh and sold in a "braid" and Italian specialty stores.
To use this you should wash and roll in towel to squeeze out extra
water. VERY hard to shread so thin cuts is about the best you can get.
Bake at first high 425 then lower to 350 or so, no real set time since
all different doughs and ingredients bake differently. I would guess
20 - 25 min. and then sometimes longer.
Best way to cut the pie is to use heavy duty scissors!! Sounds weird,
but it works great.
GRAVY: Plum Tomatoes with skin peeled. Try to remove seeds or
run thru Food Processor till water.
Cook at low-med a long time till decently thick.
(burnt tomatoes have the worst flavor)
Add near end fresh garlic, some crushed red pepper (if brave)
FRESH BASIL is the flavor key, add plenty or if not avail.,
dry sweet basil. Some minced fresh onion also adds a real
nice flavor (moderate quantity).
Through the years most Italians are totally against oregano.
It does add a very bitter taste to the gravy. The heavy
basil more than compensates for its absence.
Good Luck and its worth all the effort!
Questions/Comments - Donna !whuxi dmf