Springy Pizza (was dough for beginners)

Unknown

I have to be one of those who feel that many people over-knead their dough. I think that a lot of supermarket dough is likely machine kneaded way too long. It is not the same as making a loaf of bread.[p]More kneading = more gluten development = springy dough![p]I find that a simple French Bread dough with a little EVOO added makes a perfect pizza crust (bread recipe on some KA flour bags)- basically 5 1/2-6 cups of four and two cups of warm water, one packet of yeast (or equiv.), T sugar, T salt, 2 T EVOO[p]Don't over knead it, just incorporate and maybe knead for about a minute. Alton Brown doesn't even fully mix it all together on one episode I saw.[p]Allow to double, punch down. Divide and allow second rise. After second rise, spread it out. It should have very supple feel and not spring back at all.[p]Take a look at this video (and others) on my website and you will see just how soft and pliable it can be:[p]Gary [p][p]

[ul][li]http://www.superpeel.com/vids/Deep%20Dish%20%20-%20Text%20-%20Final.wmv[/ul]

The Naked Whiz

Gaspar,
Actually, in AB's episode "Flat is Beautiful" he says to knead the dough by machine for 15-25 minutes until it forms the "baker's window pane."
TNW

Trouble

Gaspar,
That's great info. Thanks![p]Joyce

Eggecutioner

The Naked Whiz,[p]Can you explain "bakers window pane?" I can't visualize what this means.[p]E

The Naked Whiz

Eggecutioner,
Basically, it means that the gluten has formed to a point where you can stretch the dough into a thin "window pane" that you can almost see through, without the dough tearing. Here is what AB says in his recipe (he demonstrates it on the show, obviously):
<blockquote>
Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc. Stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the baker?s windowpane, or taut membrane, has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
</blockquote>
TNW[p]

Eggecutioner

The Naked Whiz,
Thanks.[p]E

Unknown

Well, It was obviously not the episode I saw. But regardless, I hold that extensive kneading, to the end of achieving good a window pane test, is not particularly relevant to good pizza making. I will agree if you are looking to make an extremely thin crust pie that it might be a little more applicable. The fact is that almost no kneading and immediate baking after only a partial rise will produce an acceptable pizza, though it is a little more bready, kiind of like Dominos pizza, or some of Pizza Huts. Some like it that way I guess, or they would not sell a collective millions of pizzas each year.[p]We did a pizza drill a while back (oven baked, not grilled) to see if we could go from coming in the front door to at the table with a completety scratch pizza in 30 minutes, ala Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals. I wish that we had video taped the whole thing, as it surely looked, felt and sounded a lot like we were on Iron Chef!. Definitely fun and recommended.[p]~30 Minute White Broccoli Pizza
Go:
Set oven with stone on 550 F - 0:05
Proof yeast: - 2:00
Mix dough, no measuring alowed ! - 4:00
Knead very minimally, place in oiled bowl to raise - 5:00
Remove broccoli from freezer and place in colander to rinse/thaw. - 6:00
Peel and crush garlic 9:00
Twiddle thumbs, have a glass of wine and wait for oven to heat up and dough to rise a little. 20:00
Punch down dough and form crust. - 22:00
Top with garlic, broccoli, EVOO, and seasonings - 24:00
Place in oven and bake 5 1/2 minutes at 550 - 29:00
Remove from oven and cool 1 minute: 30:00
Cut and serve: - 31:00[p]It was a very acceptable pizza, a little bit bready, but with a nice crust. Next time, we will make it in <30 min., but I think that is about the best one can do. Bottle necks are dough proofing and stone heating, both of which we cheated a bit (Dough only got to rise only a bit over 15 minutes, and oven preheat was only about 24 minutes). But the results speak for themselves. Yes, you can make a better pizza, from scratch, and a lot faster than going out to pick one up or have it delivered.[p]Now, I gotta call Rachael![p]Gaspar

The Naked Whiz

Gaspar,
I just checked the "Flat is Beautiful" episode, which is the only episode of Good Eats where he makes pizza, and he definitely kneads the bread in the KitchenAid mixer for 15 minutes, does the window pane thing, and then says give it 5 to 10 more minutes if necessary. Maybe it wasn't Good Eats you saw? Anyway, FWIW.....
TNW

Unknown

Gaspar,
The best pizza dough I've ever made is in our bread oven. It has a setting that doesn't bake it, it just kneads it every now and then. Takes about 4 hours, but the dough is great. Also, from working at a Godfater's Pizza the best keys I can give you is temp. and letting it sit in a dark warm spot.[p]jason

Unknown

Well, I'll be danged. I could have sworn it was Alton. Oh well. BTW, Tom Lehmann who is quite renowned for his NY style pizza recipe also has recommended forgoing the W.P.T. as unnecessary. I think he recommends only several minutes of kneading, but would have to check.[p]I can't do a lot of testing anymore as I am wheat intolerant. When I eat bread or pizza now, I pay for it dearly, but I do it anyway once in a while.[p]Gaspar