New England Bar Pizza
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant or rapid -rise yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup favorite pizza sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese*
1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil (for pans)
Directions for dough:
1. Combine flour, sugar, and yeast in a food processor, about 3 seconds.
2. Combine warm water and salt .
3. With processor running, slowly add water; process dough just until combined and no dry flour remains.
4. Let dough stand for 10 minutes.
5. Add oil to dough and process until dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl. ( 30-60 seconds)
6. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size. 2-2 1/2 hours.
I usually put my dough in a microwave to keep it out of drafts.
Directions for topping and baking:
1. Adjust oven to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Combine cheeses in a bowl.
3. Using a pastry brush, grease bottom and sides of 2 dark-colored 9-inch cake pans.(1 1/2 teaspoons each)
4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured counter, divide in half and shape into balls.
5. Gently flaten1 dough ball into a 6 inch disk using your finger tips.
6. Using a rolling pin, roll disk into a 10 inch round.
7. Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into corners, forcing 1/4-inch lip of dough up sides of pan. Repeat with second pan.
8. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a thin layer to the very edge of pan and up lip.
9. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over pizza, including lip.
10. Bake until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes.
11. To remove pizza from pans use an offset spatula along top edge of pan.
Test to see of crust is crispy. If not return to oven for a few minutes.
12. Slide spatula underneath pizza to a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes.
13. Slice and Serve.
Yield: 2 pizzas – serves 4-6
Notes:
Why do I think this is the best pizza ? It is all about the crust. It is light , airy,and crispy. Over the years I have made my share of homemade pizza. Why make? Go to a pizzeria instead. Right! But by the time you bring that pizza home, the bottom crust is soggy;unless you are eating it at the restaurant . This recipe works because you are using a high temperature , the pans are dark, you are using a nonstick pan and you are also using oil on the bottom of the pans. This is called New England Bar Pizza. I found it in Cook’s Country Magazine. The crust looks heavy at first – but it is light and crispy because of the amount of water used. Make sure you let the dough stand that 10 minutes before you add the oil. Only use the amount of sauce and cheese specified. Too much sauce makes the pizza soggy; too much cheese is just too much cheese.* Near the cheese – use only sharp cheese – not extra sharp. Extra sharp will make it too greasy. Spreading the sauce and cheese to the very sides of the pan creates a lacy dark edge.
A couple of notes about baking.Use room temperature ingredients. Warm water is about 100-110 degrees. Water that is too hot will kill the yeast; too cold, the yeast will not be activated. Salt is used as a flavoring in baking – it is necessary or your dough will have no taste.
Enjoy!
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