I have a very good friend who begins each meal at Gabrielle’s with the clam pizza. He’s got to start with the pizza because as he says, “It’s the best.” He really enjoys his food, and the pizza is just his appetizer. I know why he loves it so much as I’ve had all three varieties of pizza served at Gab’s. They all possess a certain swagger. Not quite the statement of an Osso Bucco, but still worthy of your undivided attention. Of course, like everything at Gab’s the pizza’s change often, usually with three selections at any one time. Sure the toppings and cheese visually steal the show, but it’s the crust and it’s crunch that keeps you eyeing that last piece. Here Chef Jason adds an interesting little twist. He has incorporated buttermilk into the dough, which adds more richness and body. He mixes the buttermilk, his sour dough starter, active yeast and extra virgin olive oil to fashion this crust. Because sourdough starter is not something that everyone has lying around (although it can be worth it!), we’ve adapted the recipe here to include a preferment (poolish) to increase the flavor of the dough without too much difficulty. Start this at least 5 hours ahead, or a day or two before. Also, this recipe uses instant yeast, as opposed to active dry yeast, which does not need to be proofed in water or milk before using. Be sure that your yeast is instant yeast (often labeled “bread machine” yeast… even though we’re not using a machine here).
One of the difficulties with making pizza at home is the heat of the oven. Professional ovens get much hotter than the typical home oven. In order to mimic a professional oven, it is absolutely necessary to preheat your oven as hot as you can get it, using the broiler if necessary to preheat. Also, using a pizza stone helps hold heat below the crust and crisp it up from the bottom. Some will even go as far as to surround the stone with heat tiles that you can buy at a home supplies store like home depot. This “oven within an oven” will help regulate the environment around your dough and give you the hottest temperature you can get at home.
If you’ve tried to make pizza dough at home before, you know it can be a bit tricky. Get this recipe right just once and I guarantee your search for the perfect dough will end happily. Pizza is meant to be shared, and bring people together. At the bar at Gabrielle’s you may see a few pizza’s working their way around. With fall’s firm grip in the air, pizza, beer and a juicy Gabrielle’s burger can make the cooler days ahead a little less intimidating.
Toppings of course will define the pizza and help to personalize your effort. Make white or red pizza, or both. Experiment with meats, veggies and cheeses and remember sauces also can expand the possibilities. A few great melting cheeses like gouda, fontina, provolone along with mozzarella are common choices, but think beyond the expected. Parmesan, bucheron (or other goats milk cheese), Brie and Gruyere are a little adventurous and may lead to some discovery you’ll be proud of. I could list toppings here, but I’d rather list pie ideas. Gabrielle’s aforementioned Clam Pizza includes garlic, smoked bacon, Parmesan Cheese and Italian Parsley. There Neco Chicken Pizza includes, goat cheese, honey ham, marinara sauce and mozzarella. You could also take many of your favorite stir fry’s and pop them on this crispy pizza dough, perhaps a Thai Chicken pizza. Find a Kung Pao Shrimp recipe and use it to make a pizza. Top your crust with chocolate cream cheese, warm chocolate sauce and strawberries. Here’s one I think my son would like: Smoked Pheasant Pizza. I’m guessing I’ll hear from him soon, wanting the recipe for that one. You can let us know if you’d like that also, simply post a comment or a request and we’ll send it off to you. What are your favorite Pizza combinations?
Pizza Dough
Makes 3 to 6 pizzas
Poolish
- 1.25 cups (5.65 oz) bread flour
- .75 cups (6 oz) water at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp instant yeast
Pizza Dough
- 3.5 (16 oz) cups bread flour
- 1.5 tsp (0.33 oz) salt
- 1 Tbsp (0.33 oz) instant yeast
- 1 Tbsp (0.75 oz) honey
- 2 Tbsp (1 oz) olive oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz) poolish sponge
Making the poolish. Stir together the flour and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add the water and stir until all of the flour is hydrated. It should look like very thick pancake batter. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until it becomes bubbly and foamy. Place in the refrigerator to retard. It will keep up to 3 days in the fridge.
Making the Pizza. Combine the dough ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer or a mixing bowl. If using a machine, mix with a dough hook on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 10 to 12 minutes. If mixing by hand, stir ingredients until they form a ball, then knead the dough on a floured surface for 12 to 15 minutes. The finished dough will be soft, tacky and strechy, not sticky. Adjust with additional water or flour as necessary while mixing.
Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at warm room temperature for about 1 hour, until it swells noticeably.
On a floured counter, divide the dough into individual pieces (an 8-oz piece of dough makes about an 8 to 10 inch pizza). Roll the pieces into balls and place them on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper and lightly floured. Spray lightly with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can leave it in the refrigerator at this point for up to 48 hours, or you can freeze the dough for up to 3 weeks.
On the day you will cook the pizza, remove the dough from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat it to 550˚F or as hot as it will get. Do this at least 30 minutes before putting a pizza in.
On a floured counter, roll out each piece of dough into a circle about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a pizza peel or a sheet pan without a lip that has been sprinkled liberally with semolina flour, cornmeal, or flour. Top the dough with pizza sauce and fixings.
Slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven and the size of the pizza, until the dough is crisp and golden and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven with a pizza peel and serve.
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