Wood Fired Pizza Dough and Topping Ideas
Ingredients
- Dough makes 4 pizzas:
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1½ cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Basic Pizza multiply for each pizza:
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Toppings of choice see 10 ideas in article
Instructions
- Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix to form shaggy dough.
- Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.
- Place in oiled bowl. Cover. Rise for 2 hours until doubled.
- Punch down. Divide into 4 balls. Rest 15 minutes.
- Heat wood fired oven to 700°F or higher.
- Stretch one dough ball into thin circle.
- Add sauce and toppings. Work quickly.
- Dust pizza peel with flour. Transfer pizza to peel.
- Slide into hot oven. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Rotate halfway.
- Remove when crust is charred and cheese is melted.
- Cool 1 minute. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Let dough rise for full 2 hours — do not rush this
- Oven must reach at least 700°F — hotter is better
- Use thin layer of sauce — too much makes it soggy
- Do not overload toppings — less is more
- Stretch dough very thin with thicker edges
- Dust peel generously with flour or cornmeal
- Watch constantly — pizza cooks in 2 to 3 minutes
- Rotate pizza halfway through for even cooking
- Dough can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated
- Work fast once dough is stretched — it can tear if it sits