Delicious and perfect Pizza Margherita at your comfort your home.
I have few wishes in my life with regards to learning about food, and one of those is if I can spend one day with Ken Forkish for making sourdough bread and pizza. I don’t know it is possible or not. But I can get his book and make sourdough bread and pizza in the comfort of home. My kids are Pizza fans just like I and hubby. But I rarely make pizza at home. Finally last week I made this Pizza Margherita at home adapted from book written by my guru Ken Forkish. His books are easy to understand and it is like he is standing in front of you and teaching. So when you get a chance to review Ken Forkish’s new book what you will do? I did a happy dance.
The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home by Ken Forkish is similar to the author's previous masterpiece: Flour Water Salt Yeast.
The book has 7 chapters, First chapter is the Soul of Pizza and he describes about Italy, Naples, Caliazzo, Rome pizza culture, then in United States, New York, Trenton Tomato pies, New Haven and then about family owned pizzerias, run by mom and pops with Italian-American heritage.
Then chapter two is about pizza styles, which includes, Neapolitan pizza, Pizza Romana, Roman Al taglio bakery pizza, American pizza New York style, American pan pizza, strip pizza and American bar pizza.
Chapter 3 is about eight details for great pizza crust, which discuss about hydration, baking temperature, temperature of pizza dough and importance of measuring the ingredients by weight and mixing by hand. Making adjustments based on season or climate and importance of longer secondary fermentation.
Chapter 4 is about the various ingredients and equipment. I after reading about Caputo flours as it am designed for pizza that bakes at 905°F (485°C) I bought that for trying the recipe. Tomato, tomato sauce, cheeses, yeast are described in the ingredient section. Also there pizza steel and pizza stone dough tub, digital probe thermometer are few in the equipment’s section.
Then chapter 5 is about methods starting from mix in the flour to making the pizza each step is explained very well. Chapter 6 is about the pizza dough recipes, Saturday pizza dough, I slept in but I still want pizza dough, Single dough ball dough recipe, 48-72 hour New York pizza dough and over night leavain pizza dough is few among the 13 dough recipes.
The chapter 7 is about pizza recipes, starting with 4 types of tomato sauce recipes and about 10 Italian and Italian –inspired pizza recipes, then New York and New York inspired recipes, and Ken’s artisan pizza classics, then Trifecta flatbread recipes and Vegetables and just because pizza recipes.
I tried Pizza Margherita and Hawaiian pizza from this book, trust me they are delicious better than store bought. Ken's instructions on how to assemble and bake a variety of pizzas and flatbreads are clear and encouraging. I was little anxious about turning my oven up so high (550 °F) or maximum it can handle. However, his method works and yields sublime pizzas. Definitely a must read for anyone who wants to learn more about the art of pizza making and dough chemistry. So it you are looking to make best pizza at home, then buy this book. I couldn’t find any cons in the book, one thing I found that there is no recipe of Sicilian pizza or Chicago-style pizza or St. Louis-style pizza.
I tried Pizza Margherita from this book; it is simple easy pizza which has historic importance as Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita on 11 June 1889, to honor the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. It is a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colors of Italy as on the Italian flag.
At first my dough doesn’t want to leave the pizza peel and ended up with not so round shaped pizza. Then second time as Ken’s advice I practiced enough that my pizza were able to leave the pizza peel without any problem. Give it a try you will like it.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."
Delicious and simple Pizza Margherita at the comfort your home.
Ingredients
- 350g water (90 to 95F /32 to 35C)
- 11 g sea salt
- 2g instant yeast
- 500g Caputo flour
- 1 dough ball
- 60 to 80g ( ¼ to ⅓ cup) basic tomato sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 10 to 15 g( scant ¼ cup) Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 80 to 100g ( 3 ½ to 4 ounce) fresh mozzarella cheese
- 3 to 5 fresh basil leaves
- 3 tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- In a big bowl add water and salt and mix well.
- Then add yeast and mix again
- to this add flour and mix well using a hand until everything combined well and shaggy mass. Set aside for 20 minutes
- Then after 20 minutes gradually knead it into a fine soft ball then set aside in a lightly greased ball for set aside for 2 hours for first fermentation.
- Then divide the dough into 3 regular balls and set aside for 10 minutes. Then it is knead once again and shape them well
- and set aside in a lightly floured plate and sprinkle extra flour on the top to prevent them sticking and set aside for 6 hours of fermentation if you want to use it on the same day.
- If you want to bake the pizza on next day then after 4 hours of fermentation refrigerate the dough and bring back to room temperature 1 ½ hours before you decide to bake.
- When you are ready to make pizza
- Preheat the oven to 550F( 290C) for 45 minutes.
- To shape pizza place the dough ball in floured work area and coat well with flour
- and start to shape it into a 12 inch circle make sure to keep the center thin while the edges are slightly thick.
- Place it in the pizza peel dusted with flour to prevent sticking.For insurance you can place it in parchment paper( I did for first few times, then skipped that )
- Spread the tomato sauce to the dough leaving ½ inch from the edge.
- Then switch off baking option and turn on broiler for 10 minutes before loading the pizza.
- When you are ready to load pizza to oven turn off the broiler and set back the oven to 550F( 290C). Let bake the pizza for 3 to 4 minutes until the rim starts to golden in color. Then using a pair of tongs removes the pizza from the oven and ads drizzle olive oil on the top of pizza. Then spring the cheeses and layer basil leaves bake for 30 seconds.
- Then turn on broiler option again and cook for another 30 seconds to one minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place cherry tomato if you using. Enjoy warm pizza.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from [Ken Forkish's book |http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Pizza-Unlocking-Secrets-World-Class/dp/160774838X|]
Here is New York style thin crust pizza
0This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Poornima says
I tried this for lunch yesterday and it came out perfect. I used to start with mixing sugar and water for dough but this time, it's salt water.. it made so much of difference and I had no idea! Thanks for the recipe Swati, pizza looks yummy and delicious!
swathi says
Yes I too wondered that it has no sugar in the recipe, may because of long fermentation natural sugar from the flour makes it more delicious.
Marina @ Parental Journey says
Looks delicious! I wouldn't mind piece of that!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Mmmmm, I love pizzas like anything. And this one here look absolutely stunning and sounds super yummy!
Rani Vijoo says
Inviting Pizza ...looking perfect and delicious Swathi ..
Hadia says
Such a tempting pizza, Swathi! Love your detailed and accurate review. Pinning and tweeting!
Suja Manoj says
Wow adipoli aayitudu,will try
Sundari says
Who can so no to this tempting pizza!?! Simply superb!!
Rafeeda says
So perfect it looks!
beena says
Tempting pizza. Love it
marudhuskitchen says
looks perfectly delicious...and thinking of making one soon