Yeast Pizza Dough by Chef Chad Sanders

Chef Chad Sanders created this recipe using our Italian-Style Pizza Flour, and used it in a pizza class he taught at the Garlic Press in downtown Normal, IL.  Pictured at the class are Jill Brockman-Cummings, manager of Janie's Mill, and Garlic Press co-owner, Sarah McManus.

You may adapt Chad's recipe using any bread flour, such as Janie's Mill Sifted Artisan or High-Protein Flour, but Chad loves the flavor and texture of the Italian-Style Pizza Flour. 

Ingredients

• 375g (3 cups) Italian Style Pizza Flour (plus extra for work surface)
• 300g (1 1/4 cup) warm water
• 1 Tb Salt
  
  for the Poolish
• 63g (1/2 cup) Italian Style Pizza Flour
• 60g (1/4 cup) warm water
• 8g (1 Tb) active dry yeast

Instructions

• Make the Poolish by combining the 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup water, and yeast in a mixing bowl. Cover and let rise for one hour.
• Make the Dough by combining the poolish, flour, water, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium low for 6 minutes, or knead gently by hand until smooth. 
• Cover and let rise for 90 minutes. 
• Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal pieces, form into balls, and place the balls on a small baking sheet and cover.
• Put the balls into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until ready to bake.
• Preheat the oven to 475.
• Make the Pizza by working the dough ball into a 12-inch round on a floured work surface. 
• Sprinkle semolina or cornmeal on a peel and place the 12-inch round on the peel. Add sauce and toppings to the pizza.
• Bake in a very hot (approx 475) oven for about 5 minutes or until the edges are blistered and the bottom browned. See pizzas below that Chad made at the pizza class!

BAKER’S NOTES

• As with all bread recipes, this pizza recipe will turn out best if you weigh your ingredients. Janie's Mill artisanal stone-ground flours are not standardized the way industrial roller milled flours are, and defy being measured with cups. Investing in a kitchen scale will make all your baking projects easier and you will have fewer dishes to clean!
• If you are in a hurry, you may add a teaspoon of sugar to the poolish, which will speed up the activation process and allow you to proceed to making the dough about 10 minutes after you make the poolish. 
• To form the pizza rounds, you may either use a rolling pin or stretch the dough by hand.
• For added flavor, you can make this dough the day before and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
• You may also double the recipe, so you can make one batch of pizzas today, and another tomorrow.  Or you may freeze the extra dough and let it thaw in the refrigerator a day before you want to use it.