Pizza Crust French Style Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Let stand until bubbles form on surface. In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and, if desired, dried herbs. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead, adding more flour to surface as needed until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes; transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before rolling.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the sugar in 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add the olive oil and salt, then use the dough hook to mix in the flour until the dough starts to come together. Allow the machine to knead the dough until smooth. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can pulse the dough in a food processor until it is smooth and elastic. Or combine by hand in a large bowl.)
• Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead 2 to 3 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half for 2 large pizzas, or into 4 pieces for small individual pizzas. Form into smooth, tight balls, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a well-floured kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise again, 30 to 45 minutes. (If you're not using the dough right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.)
• Set a pizza stone in the oven and sprinkle a pizza peel lightly with flour. (If you don't have a stone, you can bake your pizza on a pizza pan or baking sheet sprinkled with flour.) Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Press the dough with your fingers until it's as flat as possible, then drape it over both of your fists and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size and thickness, place it on the pizza peel (or on the prepared pan). Top the pizza as desired and slide it from the peel onto the hot stone (or transfer the pan to the oven).
• Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until the crust is crisp and golden.
• Guy's Favorite Topping Combos
• The French Pig (pictured above)
• Cooked pancetta, sauteed leeks and apple, brie, balsamic vinegar
• The Motley Que
• Pulled chicken, barbecue sauce, red onions, cilantro, fontina
• Spicy Hawaiian
• Canadian bacon, pineapple, red jalapeno, marinara sauce, mozzarella
• Au Naturel
• Parmigiano-reggiano, fresh rosemary, olive oil, cracked black pepper, sea salt

Steps:

• Add sugar to water. Dissolve yeast in water.
• Add 4 cups flour and salt.
• Beat well with wooden spoon.
• Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time.
• When dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl, turn out on floured board and knead until smooth.
• Place dough in a bowl that has been oiled w/ olive oil.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Cut into two portions and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Pat or roll out in pans.
• I use 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 jelly roll pans.
• Sprinkle edges of crust with cornmeal if you like.
• Spread with your favorite sauce, cheeses and topping.
• Most pizza is cooked on high heat 500°F+ for 15-20 minutes until cheese in the middle is bubbly and the bottom of the crust is browned.
• A hint-- Pizza cooks from the outside in so don't overload the middle of the pizza too much-- and have the cheese,sauce and toppings go right to the edge.

Steps:

• Saute garlic and onion in oil until onion is transparent and set aside. Cut tomatoes into chunks and combine with olives, parsley, basil, and peppercorn and set aside.
• Top dough crust with onions, tomato mixture, and goat cheese. Drain anchovies (reserving oil) and add to pizza. Drizzle with anchovy oil. Bake in preheated 500° F oven on pizza stone for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.