Molly's Pizza Dough!!

Carolina Q · February 2017

Molly (@cookn biker), don't know if you still look in here from time to time, but I wanted to THANK YOU anyway!!! I finally tried the pizza dough recipe that you and Enrico posted almost two years ago. Time flies!

I've tried a number of recipes and this is certainly my favorite so far. I cut it in half and as you suggested, reduced the flour for a softer dough. 72% hydration. Next time, I'll try it the other way... and there WILL be a next time!

Here's the halved recipe (and a couple of minor mods).

450 g AP flour
4 g sugar
10.5 g fine sea salt (I cut it a bit to 1 1/2 tsp (9 g)
2 g dried yeast (.64 tsp). I used about 2/3 tsp SAF instant
307 g water
42 g evoo

I mixed the dough with a spoon only, kneaded by hand about 5 minutes, covered and let it rise at room temp until more than double. Divided into 4 dough balls and refrigerated overnight in individual proofing containers. Removed one from the fridge about two hours in advance.

I wanted to try the dough, not toppings, so I used only evoo, s&p and added some fresh thyme after the bake. A delicious flatbread that @Zippylip posted a couple of months ago. That looked so naked that I decided to add a small slice of prosciutto to half the pie.

You baked at 650°, I went just to 550° on a baking steel in my oven. After only 2-3 minutes, I changed to the broiler to brown the top a bit more. I LOVE the steel!!! Never saw such huge bubbles though.

Delicious! Can't wait to try other topping combos. Thanks again!!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/jb/z1o2ne9hu8xe.jpg

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Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/8t/802gmija4340.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/hy/7ip8epcmk06w.jpg

bgebrent · February 2017

That does look very good. I'll be trying this once I'm through my current stock.

SkySaw · February 2017

Wow. Going to make a batch of this dough when I get home tonight!

Stormbringer · February 2017

That looks awesome. How did you form the base, rolling, hand tossing, push-down?

Carolina Q · February 2017

Thanks, guys. The surprising thing to me is that the recipe calls for plain old AP flour. Not Bread, not 00 and not a blend. Easy to find and cheap. Honestly, this is the best dough I've made. I didn't even use a mixer, just a bowl, a wooden spoon, a bread board and my bare hands. Maybe I'm just getting better at it or maybe it's because the recipe is from Enrico - an Italian who is actually from Italy.

I have three more dough balls in the fridge. Hmmm, what's for supper?

dgaddis1 · February 2017

I've never made my own dough, so, naturally, I got questions.

How long did it take to raise?

How long does it keep in the fridge? Can you freeze it?

While I would eat pizza several nights in a row, my wife aint gonna go for that.

Carolina Q · February 2017

Stormbringer said:

That looks awesome. How did you form the base, rolling, hand tossing, push-down?

Thanks. For me, it's combination of pushing it out with my finger tips, slapping it back and forth from one hand to the other as I rotate it and then stretching it out with the backs of my hands. I never use a rolling pin.

Carolina Q · February 2017

dgaddis1 said:

I've never made my own dough, so, naturally, I got questions.

How long did it take to raise?

How long does it keep in the fridge? Can you freeze it?

While I would eat pizza several nights in a row, my wife aint gonna go for that.

I really didn't time the rise. 2-3 hours maybe? No more than that. I went to the grocery store after it had been sitting there for a while. When I got back, it was well past the standard "doubled in size".

I find that it gets better as it ages in the fridge. Just made dough doesn't make great pizza. One day old is better, Two days better still, keeps improving up to about four days. Then it starts to go downhill.

You can freeze it, though I never do.

There are a ton of how to videos on youtube.

RRP · February 2017

looks terrific! Thanks for the updated recipe. I'll be trying this for sure.

1WVU · February 2017

wow - that looks amazing!

kl8ton · February 2017

I like it. Edumacate me please. Is a proofing container something sealed or vented?

Tupperware with lid or put a towel over a bowl?

Thanks. I am trying this. I think i need a scale to weight stuff.

WeberWho · February 2017

Watching them cook together in person is an experience. Great people. I'd be happy if I could cook 1/4th as good as them some day.

Carolina Q · February 2017

@kl8ton, they make "official" proofing trays that hold multiple dough balls, but I just use these (one per dough ball). 6 cup (48 oz) size. Any grocery store will have 'em. They're stackable.

The real ones look like this...

JohnnyTarheel · February 2017

That looks fantastic !!!! Will have to try that one!!

Carolina Q · February 2017

WeberWho said:

Watching them cook together in person is an experience. Great people. I'd be happy if I could cook 1/4th as good as them some day.

Most of us would, I imagine! I miss Molly's posts.

Photo Egg · February 2017

Carolina Q said:

WeberWho said:

Watching them cook together in person is an experience. Great people. I'd be happy if I could cook 1/4th as good as them some day.

Most of us would, I imagine! I miss Molly's posts.

Got to spend some time with both Molly and Enrico at the Frozen Fest a couple years ago.
Fantastic amount a talent along with ambition and passion for cooking.

Canugghead · February 2017

Gorgeous looking pie, thanks for sharing and linking to Molly's post. I never made my dough until recently after getting the uuni 2s. Done some reading and more or less settled on recipe/process very similar to Molly's. I like to cold ferment 2-3 days, also add some wheat gluten to AP to 'fortify' it. Just started experimenting a new dough with 'autolyse' step added. Can't believe I waited all these years

Judy Mayberry · February 2017

I'll ask it here too. Do you do the second rise after the refrigerated dough comes to room temp? Molly says, "We rise the dough two times and in the middle we mature the dough in the fridge for over 12 hours." Or she might mean they rise it twice, and refrigerate it before cooking it.

Carolina Q · February 2017

Judy Mayberry said:

I'll ask it here too. Do you do the second rise after the refrigerated dough comes to room temp? Molly says, "We rise the dough two times and in the middle we mature the dough in the fridge for over 12 hours." Or she might mean they rise it twice, and refrigerate it before cooking it.

Ok, I'll answer here too.

Beats me. I did just what I said... let it rise at room temp until more than double (Rise 1). Divided into 4 dough balls and refrigerated overnight in individual proofing containers (Mature the dough in the fridge). Removed one from the fridge about two hours in advance (Rise 2 ??). If that's not what she meant/did, oh well.

maso · February 2017

@Carolina Q that looks awesome and easy for a dough recipe! Looks like a great place for a novice bread maker to start. Hopefully I can try it this weekend. One question for you, about how big of pies can you make? They look a little small but hard to judge from pics. But with as easy as it looks and the quick cook time multiple pies shouldn't be an issue to turn out.

Thanks for sharing! I've been wanting to get into bread making and DIY pizza crust but most of what I've seen is too scary lol!

Carolina Q · February 2017

maso said:

@Carolina Q that looks awesome and easy for a dough recipe! Looks like a great place for a novice bread maker to start. Hopefully I can try it this weekend. One question for you, about how big of pies can you make? They look a little small but hard to judge from pics. But with as easy as it looks and the quick cook time multiple pies shouldn't be an issue to turn out.

Thanks for sharing! I've been wanting to get into bread making and DIY pizza crust but most of what I've seen is too scary lol!

@maso, Thanks. That pie was about 10". I made 4 dough balls from the recipe posted. The crust for this one was stretched quite thin. For larger pies, just make fewer balls. Really, the only size limit is the size of your peel and pizza stone.

To shape the dough balls...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he-V1J86REA

Good luck!

clemsontyger97 · February 2017

Carolina Q said:

Stormbringer said:

That looks awesome. How did you form the base, rolling, hand tossing, push-down?

Thanks. For me, it's combination of pushing it out with my finger tips, slapping it back and forth from one hand to the other as I rotate it and then stretching it out with the backs of my hands. I never use a rolling pin.

@Carolina Q For a moment I wasn't sure if we were still talking about pizza dough.

maso · February 2017

Thanks for sharing the video and the info, @Carolina Q!

GoooDawgs · February 2017

@Carolina Q I know you don't need to use 00, but would you suspect it would be better if you did? I feel like it would be hard to go back to regular flour after tasting 00.

Carolina Q · February 2017

GoooDawgs said:

@Carolina Q I know you don't need to use 00, but would you suspect it would be better if you did? I feel like it would be hard to go back to regular flour after tasting 00.

I don't know. I am FAR from being an experienced baker. VERY far. If the recipe calls for AP, I use AP. I don't think I've ever tried the same recipe twice, using different flours to compare. I do have and use 00 flour. Frankly, I haven't noticed anything special about it except the feel of it as I shape it. It is extremely soft and tender. The crust I had yesterday was better than any 00 crust I have made. Not better than any I have ever HAD, mind you, but still quite good, imo.

Jeff Varasano has done a great deal of comparing, and talks about it (and every other bit of pizza-related minutiae) to the point of exhaustion! If you have a few days to read his tome. For a taste, go here and search for 00.

Or, just give 00 a try and see what you think. I may do just that next time. If you do, let me know how it goes.

Kayak · February 2017

Carolina Q said:

You baked at 650°, I went just to 550° on a baking steel in my oven. After only 2-3 minutes, I changed to the broiler to brown the top a bit more. I LOVE the steel!!! Never saw such huge bubbles though.

Q,

We're all trying to ignore your first sentence, but the last one caught my eye.

You might be interested in a 'dough docker' for the future. I regret buying it, but you pizza guru's might not. Of course, you can also tap a fork all over it, but who wants to do that?

Carolina Q · February 2017

Thanks, Bob. Doubt I'll go with the docker though. Don't usually have that problem. I suspect I would regret buying as well.

First sentence is fine.

Did pizza in the egg for the first 3 years or so. Haven't done one there for nearly four years now. For me, oven pies are quicker, easier and just as good. Especially with the steel.

caliking · February 2017

Thanks for posting this . Have some friends coming in to visit next month, so may give this a try.

It sounds like the 2hrs after pulling it from the fridge would count as proofing (if that helps clarify the original recipe) but who cares what it's called when the end result looks that good

Carolina Q · February 2017

caliking said:

Thanks for posting this . Have some friends coming in to visit next month, so may give this a try.

It sounds like the 2hrs after pulling it from the fridge would count as proofing (if that helps clarify the original recipe) but who cares what it's called when the end result looks that good

Hope you're planning to try it in advance... never try a new recipe on guests.

As for clarification, that's good enough for me.

caliking · February 2017

Good point! I'll try it out BEFORE my visitors land

bgebrent · February 2017

caliking said:

Good point! I'll try it out BEFORE my visitors land

@Carolina_Q is well known to be very deceptive

Molly's Pizza Dough!!

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