-
1
Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor.
-
2
Turn the machine on and add 1 cup of warm water and the oil through the feed tube.
-
3
Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.
-
4
If it is dry, add another tablespoon or two of water and process for another 10 seconds.
-
5
(In the unlikely event that the mixture is too sticky, add flour, a tablespoon at a time.)
-
6
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball.
-
7
Put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours.
-
8
(You can cut this rising time short if you are in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 6 to 8 hours.)
-
9
Proceed to step 4, or wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
-
10
(Defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.)
-
11
When the dough is ready, form it into a ball and divide it into 2 or more pieces if you like; roll each piece into a round ball.
-
12
Put each ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with a little flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
-
13
Let rest until they puff slightly, about 20 minutes.
-
14
Proceed with any of the recipes that follow.
-
15
Be sure to allow the dough to relax, stretching it a little bit at a time, when youre ready to roll it out; pressing the dough onto an oiled baking sheet is the easiest way to get this done.
-
16
And bear in mind that its easier to handle small pies than large ones.
-
17
You can bake the pies or grill them.
-
18
An oven lined with a baking stone (or several uncoated quarry tiles) is ideal, but it requires a peel (a flat sheet of wood or metal with a long handle) to move the pizza about.
-
19
A baking sheet, with or without a lip, is much easier, because you can press the dough right onto its surface.
-
20
Since you use olive oil to prevent sticking, the process is a snap.
-
21
Generally, toppings should never be too wet, or the dough will become soggy.
-
22
In practice, this means fresh tomatoes should have some of their juice squeezed out and be thinly sliced, and preferably salted for a little while, before using; the same holds true for other moist vegetables like zucchini.
-
23
It may be that there are more possible combinations of pizza toppings than moves in chess or atoms in the universe; in any case, there are a lot.
-
24
Simple combinations are best, however; too many ingredients merely serve to muddy the flavors.
