Food Fridays #7

This is Part 1 of a three-part Food Fridays recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Pizza from the James McNair's Vegetarian Pizza cookbook. Both parts 1 and 2 can be used on their own to make really excellent pizza dough and pizza sauce, respectively.

Basic Pizza Dough with Italian Herbs

1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 cup warm (110˚ to 115˚ F) water
1 envelope (¼ oz.) active dry yeast
3 ¼ unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
3 tbsp. minced fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. crumbled dried herbs (optional)

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. (Water should be warm, but not hot or it will kill the yeast.) Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir gently until it dissolves. When yeast is mixed with the water at the right temperature, a smooth, beige mixture results. (If the yeast clumps together and the water stays clear, discard and start over with new yeast.) Let mixture stand in warm spot until a thin layer of creamy foam covers the surface, about 5 minutes, indicating that the yeast is effective.

To mix and knead the dough by hand, combine 3 cups of flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture and the oil. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well, beginning in the center and working towards the sides of the bowl, until the flour is incorporated and the soft dough just begins to hold together.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with four and knead dough gently and thoroughly. While kneading, very gradually add just enough of the remaining ¼ cup flour until the dough is no longer sticky or tacky; this should take about 5 minutes. Add herbs, if desired. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Knead the dough only until it feels smooth and springy; too much kneading can result in a tough crust.

After mixing and kneading, shape dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat completely on all sides with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in bulk (approx. 45 minutes for quick-rising yeast or 1 to 1 ½ hours for regular yeast).

Preheat oven to 500˚F about 1 hour before assembling pizza.

As soon as the dough has doubled in bulk, use your fist to punch it down to prevent overising (my favorite part!). Squeeze the dough into a ball, pressing out all the air bubbles. To prepare the dough for shaping, pull the top of the dough and tuck all seams under the bottom to create a ball with a smooth top. This will make a 15- to 16-inch pizza.

Shape the pizza with a rolling pin until it is about ¼ inch thick or by slow and careful stretching. (If stretching, you may want to knead the pizza again for a minute.) Work on a floured surface, and then transfer pizza to a vented pizza pan or pizza screen. Do this right before you are ready to put the ingredients on the pizza.