Name: pizza margherita with authentic neopolitan crust
Ingredients: 3 cups lukewarm water (around 100°F or below) ((680 grams)); 1 tablespoon granulated yeast ((10 grams)); 1 tablespoon kosher salt ((17 grams)); 7 1/2 cups "00" flour ((960 grams)); flour, cornmeal or parchment paper for the pizza peel; 8 ounces prepared Neopolitan Crust Dough; 1/3 cup tomato topping of your choice ((85 grams)); 3 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch chunks ((85 grams)); 6 large fresh basil leaves, thinly slivered; olive oil, for drizzling over pizza before baking

Imagine how great it would be to enjoy your own totally homemade pizza at a moment’s notice. It really is possible without a bunch of expensive equipment. A pizza stone preheated in a very hot oven is the key. And starting off with the proper flour of the best quality. You absolutely can make this Pizza Margherita with Authentic Neopolitan Crust in your kitchen.

Let’s start off with a conversation about the flour that I used to create this awesome crust. And why I chose that particular flour.

As you guys are more than likely aware, several of my loved ones have a considerable intolerance to gluten. I am very grateful that they’ve not been diagnosed with Celiac Disease but their issues are serious enough that they avoid foods containing any trace of gluten. Always. Until recently, that is.

Here’s the thing…

My gluten-sensitive daughter has discovered that she can eat regular pasta that is imported from Italy. As long as the pasta is made with locally grown & harvested wheat products that is then produced there as well. My gluten-intolerant granddaughter (who normally has even more severe reactions to gluten) has been enjoying the same experience.

During a fairly recent stay in Belgium, my daughter found that she was able to indulge in whatever was offered …artisan breads, pastries, locally-brewed beers. All of it with no adverse reaction whatsoever. Sounds crazy, right? It certainly got me thinking in terms of what I can possibly bring to the table. Literally. Following this thought process, why can’t I use imported flour to make baked goods for them that would normally be off-limits?

A brief review of my findings…

Without getting too involved in this post with what I’ve discovered regarding this apparent trend, I will tell you this …there are so many folks out there who tell the same story. There may be less gluten in some varieties of European wheat but that doesn’t seem to be the answer. The frequent use of pesticides such as Roundup, which are readily sprayed on the majority of the US wheat crops, seems to be the more likely culprit. Crops are sprayed in an effort to harvest more efficiently and yield product more quickly, but the active ingredient contained within, Glyphosate, has been undeniably linked to the huge spike in gluten sensitivity and diseases like Celiac in recent years. Data provided by the European Commission shows that the vast majority of wheat samples recently examined do not contain detectable Glyphosate residues. If you are trying to avoid Glyphosate (which is always advisable) in your locally available whole grains & flours, this article provides some good information.

Another factor contributing to the toxic effects of US grown and harvested crops is the widely accepted use of GMO’s. As it turns out …The European Union (EU) has in place a comprehensive and strict legal regime on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), food and feed made from GMOs, and food/feed consisting or containing GMOs. The EU’s legislation and policy on GMOs, based on the precautionary principle enshrined in EU and international legislation, is designed to prevent any adverse effects on the environment and the health and safety of humans and animals, and it reflects concerns expressed by skeptical consumers, farmers, and environmentalists.

As I travel down this rabbit hole, researching this phenomenon, I will gladly share my findings with you. And please keep in mind that I am not advising anyone to eat something that may cause issues for them. I am simply sharing with you what my family has personally experienced and what I have learned in my small amount of research.

In the meantime, I will be having some fun playing with a variety of imported flours. At this point, I’ve tried all-purpose flour from France and “00” flour imported from Italy. For this delicious pizza crust, I gave Antimo Caputo TIPO “00” Chef’s Flour a try. I am happy to report that this flour is readily available on Amazon and also at some Whole Foods stores. It was wonderful to work with and better yet …my daughter and granddaughter absolutely loved the pizza and had no issues afterwards!

What I am about to demonstrate is the ease of making a big batch of pizza dough with just what you see here. You can use your stand mixer or your food processor, but why would you when it can all be done by hand? You’ll just use a large sturdy wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk, as I’ve used here. Less clean-up always works for me.

You’ll need a large container to mix and hold the dough. I used a large glass bowl here so that you could better visualize the growth of the dough. But that’s not ideal for storage in the fridge. I typically use one of these Translucent 6-Quart Square Containers along with the Snap-On Lids for keeping my prepared dough in the refrigerator.

Another important factor…

You must measure the flour carefully. The best way to accurately determine the amount by volume is to reach into your flour bin with your measuring cup, scoop up a full measure in one swoop then sweeping it level with a knife. Personally, I find that measuring by weight in grams on my digital food scale is the foolproof way to get it right each and every time.

This recipe makes enough dough for at least eight half-pound pizzas or flatbreads. It can easily be doubled or halved. But before you even think about making less of it, there’s something to keep in mind.

This dough is designed to thrive in your refrigerator.

It can hang out there for a full fourteen days. And the best news? The longer it’s refrigerated, the more full the flavor. It tends to take on notes of sourdough in the second week. If this all sounds very familiar, it’s because I’ve posted similar recipes in the past. This one is from a different cookbook, Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day but the authors are the same. Dr. Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François are once again the geniuses behind this amazing recipe. They’ve made it possible for us to mix up our dough ahead of time. Then with just a few minutes of active time, we can have freshly made pizzas and flatbreads any day of the week.

After the initial mix, the dough needs about two hours to rise at room temperature. When it is finished it will begin to “flatten” on the top. Do not punch down the dough! With this method, you’re trying to retain as much gas in the dough as possible. Also, you never knead this dough.

After rising, refrigerate and use the dough over the next 14 days.

Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and is easier to work with than dough at room temperature. The first time you try this method, its best to refrigerate the dough overnight or at least for 3 hours before using. Also keep in mind that once it is refrigerated, the dough will collapse. It will not rise again in the container. That’s okay …it’s normal for this dough.

On Pizza Day…

It’s a good plan to have your toppings prepared and measured in advance so that your pizza can be assembled quickly. Before it has a chance to stick to the pizza peel.

Just before you’re ready to bake, preheat your pizza baking stone at 500°F for at least 30 minutes. The authors of the recipe state that you should preheat your pizza stone at your oven’s highest temperature.

The first time I made this pizza, I baked it at 550°F but I wasn’t as happy with the outcome as I was with the lower temp. You may prefer the higher temp but it does add quite a bit of heavy crunch to the final crust. Just a tad too much for our taste.

The trickiest part of this entire process (which can totally be avoided) is to end up with a prepared pizza that will easily shift from your pizza peel onto the hot pizza stone. I have used both methods of coating the peel with a generous amount of flour or cornmeal. It was tricky but I made it happen. I highly recommend using parchment paper as your base on the peel then slide the pizza (with the parchment) onto the stone. So much easier with no stress. And you won’t feel as though you have to hurry through the process quite so much.

Grab that refrigerated container of prepared dough…

Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then pull up and cut off a piece of dough weighing at least 8-ounces or more. I sometimes like to make my pizzas a bit larger using about 12-ounces of dough for each one. Hold the dough in your hands, adding a little more flour as needed so that it doesn’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around the bottom all the way around, rotating the dough as you go to form a ball. Work quickly so that the entire process takes just 20 to 30 seconds. You don’t want to overwork the dough.

Roll out and stretch the dough.

Flatten the dough with your hands then with a rolling pin directly on your prepared pizza peel. Roll the ball out into a 1/8-inch-thick round. If the dough is resisting, just let it sit for about 5 minutes. It will then relax and allow you to work with it. And keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be perfect …rustic is good.

Add the toppings…

Spread the tomato sauce over the dough, leaving about a half-inch border then add the basil and cheese. If you prefer, the basil can be added after baking. Or both.

Also, it’s a good idea to cut your mozzarella into chunks rather than slices. That way the cheese has more time to melt and spread giving the crust the time it needs to crisp up before the toppings get too brown.

So if you don’t count the preheating and baking time, this Pizza Margherita With Authentic Neopolitan Crust took a whole five minutes of my precious active time. All you need is to have a bucket of basic dough ready and waiting in the fridge. Or a partially baked crust on standby in the freezer. And you can do the same.

Let’s talk about freezing this stuff.

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I just have to share all that I’ve discovered with this amazing concept. This prepared dough can be frozen at anytime during the initial batch life although it makes the most sense to do so close to the end of the 14-day refrigeration so that the flavor is more pronounced. Just make half-pound balls and wrap them well before freezing for up to three weeks. When you plan to use one, allow it to thaw out in the fridge overnight, then proceed as normal.

I like to take it one step further by partially baking my crusts on parchment paper for about 4 minutes, then layer them with the paper between each and place them in a large ziplock bag …all wrapped up for the freezer. On pizza day, your homemade crusts are ready to be dressed and popped in the oven. Great for crowd control.