What's Craig Laban Cooking? Pizza Recipe from Philly's Own Joe Beddia

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Sal

1 ½ cups (355 g) cool water

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 ½ cups (500 g) all-purpose or bread flour

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Whisk the water with the sugar and yeast in a large stainless-steel bowl. Mix in the olive oil. Then mix in the flour with a large, strong spoon, your hands, or a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix for about 5 minutes on slow speed, until everything is just incorporated. After everything is mixed and there aren’t any dry parts, scrape any remaining dough down the sides and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Whisk the water with the sugar and yeast in a large stainless-steel bowl. Mix in the olive oil. Then mix in the flour with a large, strong spoon, your hands, or a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix for about 5 minutes on slow speed, until everything is just incorporated. After everything is mixed and there aren’t any dry parts, scrape any remaining dough down the sides and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

Next, knead the salt into the dough until the dough is smooth and salt is fully incorporated, using wet hands (this makes handling it easier) or a dough scraper. Gently fold the dough over onto itself. Once the salt is incorporated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 24 hours for a slow, long fermentation.

After the dough has chilled for 24 hours, take it out of the fridge and scrape it out onto a well-floured, clean counter. Shape the entire thing into one big ball. With well-floured hands, grab either end of the dough mass and pull them up to meet the middle. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, incorporating the dough into itself to form one smooth, round, floured ball. Flip the whole thing over, then, using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough in half. After the dough has chilled for 24 hours, take it out of the fridge and scrape it out onto a well-floured, clean counter. Shape the entire thing into one big ball. With well-floured hands, grab either end of the dough mass and pull them up to meet the middle. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, incorporating the dough into itself to form one smooth, round, floured ball. Flip the whole thing over, then, using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough in half.

With well-floured hands, take one half of the dough and fold it over on itself, essentially repeating the same shaping technique with each half until you have a rounds, smooth-surfaced ball. Set it on a floured surface and let it sit, covered with a kitchen towel, until it doubles in size. It should take approximately three to four hours. It should feel smooth at this point, and it should rise back slowly when you press it with your finger, and is ready to use. At this point, you can also put the dough back in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 24 hours. With well-floured hands, take one half of the dough and fold it over on itself, essentially repeating the same shaping technique with each half until you have a rounds, smooth-surfaced ball. Set it on a floured surface and let it sit, covered with a kitchen towel, until it doubles in size. It should take approximately three to four hours. It should feel smooth at this point, and it should rise back slowly when you press it with your finger, and is ready to use. At this point, you can also put the dough back in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 24 hours.

subheading: Sauce:

subheading: Makes 3 ½ cups:

1 28-ounce /800 g can crushed tomatoes, or whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand or food mill

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Dump the crushed tomatoes into a nonreactive container, just large enough to store them. Trim off any hard parts of the garlic; if there are green sprouts leave them in. Push the garlic through a garlic press directly onto the tomatoes. Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before using. It can be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Dump the crushed tomatoes into a nonreactive container, just large enough to store them. Trim off any hard parts of the garlic; if there are green sprouts leave them in. Push the garlic through a garlic press directly onto the tomatoes. Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before using. It can be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

subheading: To make and bake:

subheading: Suggested toppings for basic pie:

3 ounces fresh mozzarella, separated into pinch-sized hunks

2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, shredded

¾ cup (180 ml) of sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons hard cheese like Parmigiano, finely grated

Pinch of Sicilian oregano

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