Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Makes about 3 cups (750 ml)
- 1 can (28 oz/796 ml) San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 tsp (10 ml) Kosher Salt
Remove ½ cup (125 ml) juice from the can. Pass the balance through a food mill fitted with a medium disc. Stir in the salt
Tip: If you do not have a food mill, it is far better to crush the tomatoes by hand than to pass them through a blender or food processor, both of which will introduce undesired air to the mixture, as well as crushing the seeds and in the process rendering the mix bitter.
Tomato Passato
Makes about 1 cup (250 ml)
- 12 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) combined minced parsley, rosemary, and thyme
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 175 ̊F (80 ̊C)
Arrange the tomatoes cut side up and well spaced out on a rack on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the olive oil, herbs, and salt and pepper. Bake for 12 hours. Peel the tomatoes. Transfer to a food processor and buzz briefly – a textured puree is more appealing than a completely smooth one.
Pasta per la Pizza
Pizza Dough
Makes six 12-inch (30 cm) pizzas
- 2 lb (1 kg) Italian “00” flour
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) instant dry yeast
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) kosher salt
- All purpose flour for dusting
Combine the flour and yeast in the bowl of stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Add 2 ½ cups (625 ml) tepid water and mix on the lowest speed. After 2 Minutes, begin slowly adding the salt and churning the dough. Mix for another 10 minutes. The dough should be firm and just a little bit tacky. If the dough is wet and sticky, incorporate a little more flour. If it is dry and hard, incorporate a small amount of water.
On a floured work surface, knead the dough until perfectly smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, and roll each into a ball. Space dough balls out on a lightly floured baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Cover snugly with a double layer of plastic wrap, then a kitchen cloth, and set aside to rise at room temperature for 6 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for 3 days, tightly wrapped in plastic. Rest at room temperature for 1 hour before using.)
Place a dough ball on a lightly floured work surface. Begin shaping the ball into a disc by gently pushing outward from its centre with your fingers – as opposed to flattening the ball or exerting any downward pressure on it. Continue pushing and stretching until you have a circle of dough about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and thicker around its edge than across the centre. Now pick it up and drape it over the palm of one hand. Toss it very slowly and gently from one hand to the other, rotating it a little each time and allowing the momentum alone to gently stretch it outward. If the dough is stretching unevenly, place it on a work surface and give it a well-placed nudge or stretch to correct its shape. When the disc of dough is between 12 and 14 inches (30 and 35 cm) wide, place it carefully on the work surface and press down and outward around the perimeter to create a raised ridge of dough to encircle the toppings. Proceed swiftly to dressing the pizza.
Substitutions: The ultra-fine grind of Italian “00” – grade flour is the key to producing this smooth and supple dough and the distinctive creaminess that a good Neapolitan pizza delivers within the crust after being cooked. That said, you can still make acceptable pizza dough with ordinary flour. Try 4 ½ cups (1.125 L) of all-purpose flour mixed with 1 ½ cups (375 ml) cake-and-pastry flour for the above recipe, incorporating more all-purpose flour ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time if it remains tacky after being mixed.
Tip: At Fabbrica we make our pizza dough with fresh yeast. It contributes to a more manageable and consistent dough. If you can procure it, use 2 grams in place of the instant yeast. Dissolve it in a little of the tepid water and proceed as above.
METHOD
Place a pizza stone in the oven at as hot as the oven will go and let it heat for approx 30 minutes.
Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Begin shaping the ball into a disc by gently pushing outwards from the center using your finger tips. Continue pushing and stretching until the dough is about six or seven inches. Pick up the dough and drape it over the palm of one hand and rotate it gently as you stretch it allowing momentum to work it out. When it is roughly 12 to 14 inches place it on the work surface and press down around the edge to create a raised edge.
Carefully put your dough on a lightly floured paddle or a round sheet pan (make sure there is no lip on the pan, if there is use the back of the pan) so you can transfer the pizza to the stone. Spread a thin layer of sauce evenly on the dough leaving about 1 inch for the edge. Scatter as much basil as desired and distribute the cheese evenly over the dough. Carefully slide the pizza onto the stone and cook until edge is raised and nicely bronzed. Remove the finished pizza and drizzle with good quality olive oil.
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