Thin Crust Pizza 義大利薄餅

Learning is an endless pursuit. As I believed I have attained the basics of bread making, I found out that there is much more knowledge waiting for me to explore. Ken Forkish used the basic ingredients of bread as the title of his book: "Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast". He wrote that it is the manipulation of these simple ingredients that produces superb quality of bread or pizza. One of the keys is to use as little yeast as possible because too much will produce an off flavor. Another is to use low temperature to delay the rate of fermentation because it takes time for enzymatic reactions to take place. But your patience will be greatly rewarded because the product is more complex in flavor.  The pizza I made using this method proves that it is better than those from chain stores.






古語有云"學海無涯,唯勤是岸",真是意義深遠。當我以為已掌握到基本做麵包的知識及技巧,但原來還有很廣闊的領域有待開發。當我看到這本介紹做麵包的書,題目便是用麵包的最基本材料："麵粉、水、鹽、酵母",作者便從這四樣材料,教曉我怎樣做出最美味的麵包及薄餅,使我獲益良多。竅門之一是減低酵母的份量,其二是用低溫減慢發酵的速度,令酵母與麵粉內的成份有足夠時間產生酵素反應,從而增添口味。 這薄餅便是用這方法去做,效果可媲美一些連鎖薄餅店的出品。

I modified the recipe to suit my needs.

Makes 2 large thin crust pizzas.

Overnight Poolish: 麵種
230g unbleached all-purpose flour 普通麵粉
230g water 水
1/16 tsp instant yeast 即溶酵母

1)  Mix the ingredients by hand. Cover and keep in cool room temperature (ideally 65-70 F) for 12-24 hours.
2)  The next day, you will see the dough has small bubbles on the surface and smells yeasty with a hint of an alcoholic aroma. By then, this poolish is ready to use.

將所有材料用手攪勻,蓋上保鮮紙,放室溫(理想溫度是華氏65-70)過夜,大慨十二至廿四小時。翌日,麵團表面會有很多小氣泡,也會有發酵的香氣,表示麵種可以用啦。

Main Pizza Dough: 主麵團
230g unbleached all-purpose flour 普通麵粉
92g water 水
9g salt 鹽

1)  Add all the ingredients to the overnight poolish. Mix by hand for about 2 minutes. Cover and let it rise to about 2 and a half times the original volume, about 6 hours. (Alternatively, put in the refrigerator overnight.)
2)  Sprinkle the counter and your hands with flour. Take out the dough and divide into two. Shape them into round balls. Cover and put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up. While the pizza dough is in the fridge, put a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 F.
3)  Sprinkle a pizza peel generously with flour. Stretch out the dough with the knuckles of your hands. Put on the pizza peel and make sure it does not stick to the peel.
4)  Add sauce, toppings and cheese. Carefully slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes.

將主麵團材料用手與麵種混和,約只須二分鐘,不用搓,蓋上保鮮紙,在室溫讓它發酵至二倍半大,約須六小時 (或者可以放雪櫃過夜)。檯面及手灑上麵粉,將麵團一分為二,整形成球狀,放雪櫃約半小時令它變硬些少。焗爐最底放上焗薄餅專用瓦片,預熱焗爐至五百度。薄餅鏟上灑上麵粉,用手背伸開麵團成圓形放在上面,放上蕃茄醬,及其他材料與芝士,便可放入焗爐,焗約十分鐘左右便成。

Notes:
1)  This recipe is virtually knead-less. The long rise helps the gluten to develop without kneading.
2)  The hydration percentage of this dough is on the high side, giving rise to the pretty big holes in the crust of the pizza. It also means that before baking, the dough will be very soft and hard to handle. Make sure the counter, your hands, and the peel has enough flour to prevent sticking.
3)  A hot oven is essential in pizza baking. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
4)  Baking on a pizza stone is highly recommended for best result. If not available, using a pizza pan on the lowest rack works.

注意事項：
1)  此食譜的麵團不用花長時間搓,長時間低溫發酵已足夠令麵筋發展。
2)  此麵團比較水份多,所以能形成大的氣孔,但操作也相對困難,要記得在檯上,雙手及鏟上放多些粉以防粘。
3)  要焗好食的薄餅,焗爐要很熱,預熱焗爐的時間至少要三十分鐘。
4)  最理想是將麵團直接放在瓦片上焗,如果沒有,用其他焗薄餅的盤也可。