BREADS & PIZZAS
GRISSINI
(BREAD STICKS)
Makes 36 to 40 grissini
Grissini are associated with the Piedmont city of Turin, but variations on the theme of audibly crisp bread sticks turn up the breadth and length of Italy. What you may not know is how easy bread sticks are to make at home. Here’s a basic recipe, plus several regional variations.
1 envelope (2½ teaspoons) dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons warm water, plus 1¼ cups water at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour (or more white flour)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE TOPPING:
1 egg white, beaten with a pinch of salt for glaze
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, cracked black peppercorns, and/or coarse salt
1. Combine the yeast with the sugar and 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°F.) in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Place the flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a dough blade. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture, remaining water, and oil. Process for 1 minute, or until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. (If the dough is too dry, add a little more water.) Knead the dough until smooth and springy, 3 to 4 minutes in the processor, running the machine in spurts.
2a. To make the dough in a mixer, place the yeast mixture, water, oil, sugar, and salt in the mixing bowl. Using the dough hook, incorporate the flour, mixing at low speed to obtain a stiff dough. Knead the dough in the mixer until pliable and smooth, 8 to 10 minutes.
2b. To make the dough by hand, place the yeast mixture, water, oil, sugar, and salt in a large heavy mixing bowl. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to obtain a stiff dough. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and knead until pliable and smooth, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
4. Punch the dough down and cut it in half. Roll each half into a rectangle 14 to 16 inches long and 10 inches wide. Cut each rectangle crosswise into ½-inch strips. Stretch these strips to the desired length (16 to 18 inches) by taking an end in each hand and gently pulling and twirling. Arrange the grissini on nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise until doubled in height, 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Lightly brush the tops of the grissini with the egg-white mixture, taking care not to drip any on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the bread sticks with seeds, pepper, and/or coarse salt.
6. Bake the grissini until crisp and golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
55 CALORIES PER BREAD STICK; 2 G PROTEIN; 0.6 G FAT; 0 G SATURATED FAT; 11 G CARBOHYDRATE; 121 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
ALMOND GRISSINI
Makes about 36 to 40 grissini
These bread sticks make a stunning, unexpected centerpiece for a dinner table or buffet table, yet they’re easy to make, consisting of a strip of bread stick dough knotted around an almond.
1 recipe Grissini (here), prepared through step 3 about 40 unskinned almonds
1 egg white, beaten with a pinch of salt, for glaze
Proceed with step 4 but stretch the bread sticks out to 20 inches long. Knot the top of each breadstick around an almond as pictured here. Arrange the bread sticks on nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise until doubled in height, 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Proceed to step 5.
60 CALORIES PER BREAD STICK; 2 G PROTEIN;
1 G FAT; 0.1 G SATURATED FAT;
10 G CARBOHYDRATE; 115 MG SODIUM;
0 MG CHOLESTEROL
TAPERED BREAD STICKS
IN THE STYLE OF SANTA MARGHERITA
Makes 36 to 40 grissini
The bread sticks made in the Ligurian seaside town of Santa Margherita come with pointed ends and are brushed with olive oil instead of egg-white glaze.
1 recipe Grissini (here), prepared through step 3
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt for sprinkling
1. Tear off 1½-inch balls of the grissini dough and roll them between the palms of your hands or on the work surface to make sticks about 6 inches long and ⅓ inch in diameter. Roll the ends so that they taper to sharp points.
2. Arrange the grissini on nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Lightly brush the tops of the grissini with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake the grissini until crisp and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
52 CALORIES PER BREAD STICK; 1 G PROTEIN; 0.8 G FAT; 0.1 G SATURATED FAT; 10 G CARBOHYDRATE; 114 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
TARALLI
(SPICED RING-SHAPED BISCUITS)
Makes 4 to 4½ dozen taralli
I first tasted these ring-shaped biscuits in Boston’s “Little Italy,” the North End. They looked like tiny bagels and they were sold ten to a bunch on a string. The analogy is apt: like bagels, traditional taralli are boiled first, then baked. This produces a hard, jaw-breakingly crisp pastry that’s often dipped in wine to soften it before eating.
Taralli are a specialty of southern Italy, where bakeries sell both sweet and hot versions—the former flavored with fennel seed, the latter fired with cracked black pepper. For an even easier way to make taralli, see Note.
1 package (2½ teaspoons) dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°F.)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for the baking sheet
¾ cup dry white wine
1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus salt for the water
2 teaspoons fennel seeds or cracked black peppercorns
about 3 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour, plus flour for rolling
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer or a large mixing bowl. Stir in the 6 tablespoons olive oil and the wine, salt, and fennel. Using a dough hook, add enough flour to obtain a firm but pliable dough. (If working by hand, stir the flour in with a wooden spoon.) Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes in a mixer, 5 minutes by hand.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once or twice to oil the top, then cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Pinch off a fist-sized piece of dough and roll it into a tube ¼-inch thick. Cut the tube into 5-inch lengths. Bring the ends together and pinch to form a ring. Shape the remaining taralli the same way.
4. Gently lower the taralli, a few at a time, into the boiling water. Cook until they rise to the surface again. Transfer them to a wire rack on a baking sheet to drain. Boil all the taralli in this fashion.
5. Transfer the taralli to lightly oiled nonstick baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the taralli to a rack to cool. You can serve them the same day or let them harden for a few days. For a novel gift, tie the taralli in bunches with string.
Note: for a delectable if nontraditional variation, omit boiling the taralli in step 4. Arrange the rings on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake the taralli until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. This produces a bread-stick-like taralle.
47 CALORIES PER PIECE; 1 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 0.2 G SATURATED FAT; 6 G CARBOHYDRATE; 67 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
ONION DILL BREAD
Makes 2 loaves
This recipe uses a sponge (starter) to give the bread an extra lift. The kneading can be done by hand, in a food processor, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. If fresh dill is unavailable, substitute any other fresh herb.
1 tablespoon (1 envelope) dry yeast, or ½ ounce compressed yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups warm water
5–7 cups unbleached white flour
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, minced
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal (optional)
1 egg white, beaten
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the warm water in a small bowl and stir to mix. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Stir 3 tablespoons of the warm water into the yeast mixture. Stir in 1 cup white flour, or enough to obtain a moist but workable dough. Roll the dough into a ball and drop it in a deep bowl filled with warm water. It will sink to the bottom. After 15 to 30 minutes, it will rise to the surface. The sponge is now activated and ready to use.
3. Transfer the sponge to a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the remaining warm water and the honey, salt, dill, and onion. Stir in the whole wheat flour, then the remaining white flour, 1 cup at a time. Continue adding flour until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. It should be dry enough to come away from the sides of the bowl but soft enough to knead. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Wash and lightly oil the bowl.
4. Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky to knead, work in a little more flour. When you press the dough with your finger, the depression should spring back.
5. Return the dough to the oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot and let rise for 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. (The dough will rise at lower temperatures, even in the refrigerator, but the rising time will be longer.)
6. Lightly oil two 9-inch loaf pans. Punch the dough down and form the loaves. To make rectangular loaves, cut the dough in half, pat each half into an 8-inch-long oval, plump the ovals in the center, and drop them into the pans, seam side down. To make free-form round loaves, roll each half into a ball. Liberally sprinkle a baker’s peel (or 2 tart pan bottoms) with cornmeal, if desired, and place the balls on top.
7. Cover the loaves with dish towels and let the dough rise again until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the top of each loaf with beaten egg white. Using a razor blade, make a series of diagonal slashes, ¼- to ½-inch deep, in each loaf. (Slashing allows the steam to escape and the bread to expand without cracking.) Bring 2 cups water to a boil in an ovenproof pan.
8. Place the loaf pans in the oven next to the pan of boiling water. (The water helps create a crisp crust.) If baking free-form loaves, slide them onto the baking stone. Bake the loaves for about 40 minutes, or until firm and browned on all sides. Tap the bottom of the loaf; if it sounds hollow, the bread is done. You can also test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be about 190°F.
9. Let the loaves cool for 5 minutes in the loaf pans, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing. Bread piping hot out of the oven is very hard to slice.
126 CALORIES PER SERVING; 4 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 27 G CARBOHYDRATE; 270 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Onion Dill Bread
APULIAN POTATO BREAD
Makes 2 loaves
This bread was inspired by the restaurant Angelo Ricci in the town of Caglie in Apulia. Like many great Italian restaurants, it looked utterly unpretentious on the outside and seemed to be located in the middle of nowhere. The food was extraordinary, but what I really remember are the breads, which were baked in a wood-burning stone oven out back.
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons sea salt for cooking the potatoes, plus 1 tablespoon salt for the dough
1½ envelopes (4 teaspoons) dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for brushing
6 to 7 cups flour
½ cup cornmeal for sprinkling
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot with 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and gently simmer the potatoes until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander over a bowl, reserving the potato liquid. Let both cool until tepid.
2. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast and sugar in ¼ cup warm potato water (about 110° to 115°F.). Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or purée through a ricer or vegetable mill. (Do not purée the potatoes in a food processor, or the mixture will be gummy.) Add the olive oil, mashed potatoes, and 1½ cups potato cooking liquid to the yeast mixture. Mix at low speed to blend.
3. Running the mixer on low speed, add the 1 tablespoon salt and enough flour to obtain a pliable dough. It should be soft but not sticky. Add flour as needed. Knead the dough in the mixer until smooth, about 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut it in half. Roll each half into a round or oblong loaf.
5. Place the loaves on a baker’s peel or the back of a baking sheet that you’ve generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a baker’s stone, preheat it in the oven. If not, preheat a baking sheet.
6. Spray the loaves with water. Make 2 or 3 shallow slashes in the top with a razor blade and immediately slide the loaves onto the baking stone or baking sheet. Spray the loaves 2 more times with water, once before baking, again after 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375° after 20 minutes. Bake the loaves until crusty and brown, about 40 minutes in all. (When done, the breads will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.) Transfer the breads to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: To prepare the dough by hand, mix the ingredients in step 2 in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt and flour with a wooden spoon. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth by hand. Let the dough rise as described above.
To prepare the dough in a food processor (use a plastic dough blade), mix the ingredients in step 2 in the processor bowl. Add the salt and enough flour to obtain a soft, pliable dough. (You’ll need a little more flour than if working in a mixer or by hand.) Run the machine in bursts to knead the dough, about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise as described above.
150 CALORIES PER SLICE; 4 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 0.2 G SATURATED FAT; 30 G CARBOHYDRATE; 551 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
GRILLED BREAD
Serves 6
You don’t need a degree in restaurant-going to know that grill fever has reached epidemic proportions. The latest manifestation of this delectable malady is grilled bread. I first tasted it at a revolutionary restaurant called Panache (sadly no longer around) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
½ tablespoon (½ package) dry yeast, or ¼ ounce compressed yeast
2 tablespoons molasses
⅔ cup warm water
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup fine stone-ground cornmeal
1¼ cups unbleached white flour (approximately)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and cracked black peppercorns
1. Combine the yeast, molasses, and 2 tablespoons of the warm water in a large bowl. Stir to mix. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in the remaining water and the ½ teaspoon salt, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and white flour. Add enough white flour to obtain a dough that is stiff enough to come away from the sides of the bowl but soft enough to knead. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Wash and lightly oil the bowl.
2. Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. The dough can be prepared in a food processor (mix the dry ingredients first, then add the water and yeast mixture), but finish the kneading by hand.
3. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Punch it down and let rise for ½ to 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk again. Light the grill.
4. Punch down the dough and cut it into 6 pieces. Using a rolling pin or a pasta machine, roll the pieces into circles ¼-inch thick. Place the circles on a platter, separated by floured sheets of wax or parchment paper.
5. Just before serving, brush the tops of the circles with oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and cracked pepper. Place the circles, oiled side down, on the grill and cook over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bottom is blistered and browned. Meanwhile, brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the circles and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until both sides are puffed and golden brown. Serve at once.
209 CALORIES PER SERVING; 5 G PROTEIN; 3 G FAT; 41 G CARBOHYDRATE; 181 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
RED-ONION AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA
Makes 1 11 × 17-inch focaccia, which will serve 8 to 10
Thicker than pizza but flatter than a conventional loaf, the Italian bread known as focaccia (pronounced “foh-KAH-cha”) has become a North American favorite. A dark-colored baking pan will give you a crisper, browner crust.
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ cups warm (90°F.) water
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4½ to 5 cups unbleached white flour
spray oil
coarse cornmeal
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or dried rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If yeast does not foam, discard it and start over.)
2. Stir in the remaining 1¼ cups water, the 2 teaspoons salt, and 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil. Stir in the flour ½ cup at a time to forma soft, pliable dough that comes away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes, adding more flour as necessary.
3. Spray a large mixing bowl with oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
4. Punch down the dough and roll it out ½-inch thick into an 11x 17-inch rectangle, stretching it as you roll. Sprinkle a nonstick baking sheet with cornmeal. Transfer the focaccia to the baking sheet and cover with a clean cloth. Let rise until doubled in height, 30 to 60 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Poke your fingers all over the surface of the focaccia to decoratively dimple the surface. Arrange the onion slices on top. Brush with the remaining 1½ teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with the rosemary, kosher slat, and cracked pepper.
6. Bake the focaccia until crisp and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.
Note: The dough can also be made in a mixer with a dough hook or a food processor. (If using the latter, let the yeast, sugar, and water foam in a small bowl. Place the flour and salt in the processor bowl. Add the yeast mixture, remaining water, and olive oil. Knead the dough by pulsing the machine in bursts.
291 CALORIES PER SERVING; 8 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; .4 G SATURATED FAT; 58 G CARBOHYDRATE; 535 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
BURGUNDIAN SPICE BREAD
Serves 8 to 10
Pain d’épices (spice bread) is an ancient Burgundian delicacy. This recipe comes from a beekeeper in the village of Looze in northern Burgundy. Rye flour and honey give it a moistness usually achieved by eggs in these sorts of breads. Tightly wrapped, Burgundian spice bread will keep for several days. It also freezes well and is good toasted.
¾ cup honey
½ cup sugar
½ cup sultanas
½ cup warm water
1½ teaspoons aniseed
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups unbleached white flour
½ cup rye flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1. Warm the honey jar in a pan of hot water. (This will make it easier to pour and measure.) Combine the honey, sugar, and sultanas in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the water, spices, zest, and salt.
2. Sift the flours and baking powder into the honey mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon to obtain a thick batter. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let the batter rest for 1 hour. Meanwhile, spray a 9 × 4-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray and line it with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
3. Check the consistency of the batter. It should fall from a raised spoon in a thick, silky ribbon. Thin it, if necessary, with a little water. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake for 1½ hours, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Slice for serving.
281 CALORIES PER SERVING; 3 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 68 G CARBOHYDRATE; 193 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Burgundian Spice Bread
BANANA SULTANA MUFFINS
Makes 12 muffins
Unlike most banana breads, which are made with mashed fruit, this one features whole chunks of banana and sultanas (yellow raisins).
½ cup sultanas
¼ cup apple juice or orange juice
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg)
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons honey
1½ cups unbleached white flour
⅓ cup stone-ground white cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 ripe bananas, diced
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the sultanas and apple juice in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the buttermilk, egg whites, oil, and honey, and whisk until smooth.
2. Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda into another large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, ginger, and cardamom. Add the bananas and toss lightly. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and stir just to mix with a wooden spoon. (Stir as little as possible, or the muffins will be tough. Ten to 12 strokes should do it.)
3. Line the muffin cups with parchment paper or paper liners or lightly grease with vegetable oil spray. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
160 CALORIES PER SERVING; 3 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 34 G CARBOHYDRATE; 145 MG SODIUM; 1 MG CHOLESTEROL
BASIC NEAPOLITAN PIZZA DOUGH
Makes two 12-inch pizzas, enough to serve 4
My first pizza in Naples came as something of a shock. Where were the olives, the pepperoni, the gooey carpet of cheese? For a true Neapolitan pizza is a paragon of understatement, a slab or circle of moist, puffy dough, smokily browned in a wood-fired oven. The topping—when the pizza comes topped at all—is limited to a whisper of tomato sauce and perhaps a few atoms of cheese. The crust is the focal point, and the toppings are kept sparse to keep it that way. Here’s the basic dough recipe: topping ideas begin here. Italian flour is softer than American flour. The cake flour in the following recipe has a softening effect on the dough.
2 packages (5 teaspoons) dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1⅓ cups warm water (110° to 115°F.)
2½ cups all-purpose unbleached white flour, plus flour for rolling and stretching the dough
1 cup cake flour
2½ teaspoons salt
spray oil
¼ cup cornmeal for sprinkling (optional)
2 to 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 3 tablespoons of the warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Combine the flours and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk well to mix. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and remaining water. Working with your fingertips, gradually mix in the flour mixture. Add flour as necessary to obtain a very soft, pliable, but not quite sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 8 to 10 minutes.
2a. If making the dough in a mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water in the mixing bowl. When foamy, add the remaining water, flours, and salt. Using a dough hook, mix the dough at low speed until it comes away from the sides of the bowl in a smooth, soft pliable ball. (Add a little flour if necessary.) This will take about 10 minutes.
2b. If using a food processor, add the flours and salt and mix with a plastic dough blade. Work in the yeast mixture and remaining 1 cup water, running the machine in bursts until the dough comes away from the sides of the processor bowl in a smooth, soft, pliable ball. When making the dough in a machine, you should still turn it onto a floured work surface and knead it a little by hand.
3. Place the dough in a large bowl lightly sprayed with oil and cover with plastic. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you have a baking stone, preheat it as well. If you don’t, preheat a heavy baking sheet or cookie pan.
4. Punch the dough down and cut it in half (to make two 12-inch pizzas) or quarters (to make four 6-inch pizzas). Lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll, pat, or stretch each ball to form a circle. Gently stretch each circle with the palms of your hands or over your fists (pulling your fists apart in the manner of a pizzamaker), to make a 12-inch circle (or a 6-inch circle if making a small pizza) with a slightly raised rim. Transfer the pizzas to a peel (baker’s paddle) or flat cookie sheet generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Garnish the pizzas with one of the toppings here here . Brush the edges of the crusts with olive oil.
5. Slide the pizzas onto the baking stone or baking sheet in the preheated oven. (The hotter the better.) Bake until the crust is puffed and nicely browned, 6 to 10 minutes, turning as needed to ensure even baking.
Note: You’re probably not used to baking at 500°F., but this high heat is necessary to produce a crust that’s puffy, moist, and light, yet crisp. Also, to simulate the floor of a wood-fired or commercial pizza oven, I like to bake the pizza on a preheated baking stone (available at cookware shops). If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the pizza on the back of a preheated baking sheet. The only disadvantage of this method is the tendency for any stray cornmeal to burn, filling your oven with smoke. Put on the exhaust fan and don’t worry; your pizza isn’t burning. The inconvenience is well worth producing a proper crust.
449 CALORIES PER SERVING; 13 G PROTEIN; 4 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 90 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1,337 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL