Pizza at Home

Pizza Kit Instructions

 

When you receive your Pizza Kit, your dough will be frozen and has not been proofed. You’ll need to defrost the dough in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.

 

To defrost the dough: oil the inside of a bowl, remove the dough from the bag, and cover the dough in the oil so it stays coated with the oil and doesn’t dry out.

Cover the bowl with a towel and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Take the bowl with the oiled dough out of the refrigerator about 4 hours prior to making the pizza.

This gives the dough time to come close to room temperature, making it easier to work with, as well as proof (rise) at the same time. Depending on the weather outside (hot/humid/dry/cold) and the temperature in your kitchen, the dough may take less time to double in size or more time if it’s cold in your kitchen.

 

After your dough has doubled in size and you’re ready to make your pizza, push the dough down with your hands while it’s still in the bowl. You’ll hear a bit of air being released and pushed out.

 

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Make sure there’s a rack on the middle shelf to bake your pizza on.

 

Flour your working surface with 2-3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, then place your dough on the floured surface. Push the dough down with your fingertips to release a little more air, then go into kneading the dough for 2-3 minutes. If the dough is sticking to your hands or the surface you are kneading on, sprinkle a bit more flour, just enough to prevent sticking. The dough should be smooth and have a bounce to it if you were to gently press on the dough with your finger. (think stress ball)

 

Once you are done kneading the dough, let it rest in a ball for 2 minutes while you get your pizza pan and rolling pin ready. Sprinkle some cornmeal or flour on the pizza pan. Flour your rolling pin, then with even pressure roll out the dough, then rotate, and continue rotating the dough to keep it round and an even thickness.

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 There’s enough dough to make a 12-18 inch pizza (depending on your pizza pan size and the thickness of the crust you like), or two personal pizzas. The bigger you roll out the dough, the thinner the crust. Hold your pizza pan over the rolled-out dough to make sure that you’ve rolled it out enough to match the size of your pizza pan.

 

Transfer the dough to your pizza pan (as shown in the video), then dock your dough (poke with a fork) around the middle surface of the rolled-out dough being cautious to avoid the outside portion of the dough that will become that outside crust.

 

 

Place your desired amount of sauce on the dough and spread evenly throughout the dough, making sure to leave about half an inch of dough around the outside for the outer crust. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the sauce and any toppings you have. Place your pizza on that middle rack in the oven and bake at 450 degrees for 10-14 minutes.

 

 

MARGARITA:

As with a regular pizza, if you are using sauce, place desired amount of sauce on the dough and spread evenly throughout the dough, making sure to leave about half an inch of dough around the outside for the outer crust. If you are using tomato slices, place your slices around the pizza, making sure not to overlap the slices and keeping half an inch of dough around the outside. Bake the dough and sauce or tomato slices in the 450 degree oven for 8 minutes, then remove the pizza from the oven and place the fresh mozzarella slices around the pizza. Place pizza back in the oven and bake for an additional 4-6 minutes depending on your desired doneness.

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Add the basil ONLY after the pizza has come out of the oven, or it will wilt and turn black if baked with the pizza.

 

 

Time will vary based on your particular oven, pan being used, and your desired doneness. To check the doneness of your crust, slip a spatula between the crust and the pizza pan, gently lift the pizza up to check that it has browned a bit and has become solid sturdy on the bottom. For a thin crispy crust, roll the dough thinner and bake for longer. For a thicker, more pillowy dough, don’t roll the dough out more than 14 inches and bake for less time, but still looking for a slightly browned sturdy surface.