Grandma Pizza from Starter
Baked Goods, Dinners
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups Bread flour
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 cups starter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups water, lukewarm
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp. Dry yeast (optional)
1/2-1 tsp. Dried minced garlic flakes (optional)
1/2-1 tsp. dried basil (optional)
Olive Oil
4 heaping cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups tomato or marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
Large Pepperoni, big enough to lay 1 slice per piece (optional)
2 13x18 well seasoned sheet pans
Description
Crispy, rectangular style of pizza attributed to Long Island, New York.
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer and knead on medium to form a smooth, elastic dough. (Be sure to add the flour a little at a time.) It will still be sticky.
Use a spatula or your hands to pull the dough out and place in a large oiled bowl or container. Use the spatula or your hands to flip the dough over, to make sure it is coated in oil. Cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight and until you are ready to start for the best result.
Add a generous amount of olive oil to your pans and spread it around to cover.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Pull the dough out onto a lightly oiled board and divide into two equal pieces, about 1 pound 10 ounces each. (Set the extra dough aside in a bowl and use it to patch the dough if you accidentally make any holes later).
Holding them in your hands, shape into tight balls. Lay seam side down on the oiled board and let rest 10 minutes.
Put into the pans, flip once to coat. Gently stretch and press dough towards the edges. As soon as the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 10 minutes. Be patient and repeat until the dough is all the way out to the edges, 4-5 times.
Top the crusts with the cheese, then dollop the sauce over the cheese. If desired, top with the pepperoni.
Put the pizzas in the oven and bake 10 minutes. Rotate the pizzas and bake another 8-10 minutes, until the top is crispy and brown.
Pull the pans out onto your stovetop. Turn on your burners to medium heat and, using tongs, move the pans over the burners to crisp the bottom of the pizza, about 2-3 minutes. Lift up a corner of the pizza to check doneness.
Move the hot pans to a heat safe surface next to cutting board(s). Use a large spatula to pull the pizzas out of the pans and cut into squares.
Refrigerate leftover pizza; reheat individual slices in a 325°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.