Pizza Bianca Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 recipe Pizza Dough, recipe follows
All-purpose flour, for work surface
Corn meal, for sprinkling
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 basil leaves, torn
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Place a baking stone on the bottom rack of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. for at least 30 minutes and preferably 1 hour.
Remove plastic wrap, and punch down dough to deflate. Divide the dough in half. Form into two balls. Cover each ball with plastic wrap, (refrigerating or freezing the unused portion). Allow the ball of dough to stand for 10 minutes.
After the rest, flatten one dough ball slightly on a floured work surface. Beginning in the center, use your fingertips to press the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round. Turn and stretch until it will not stretch any further. Let rest for 5 minutes and stretch further, if necessary.
Lightly sprinkle a pizza peel with corn meal. Transfer flattened dough round to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape while transferring, reshape as necessary.
In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Brush garlic mixture over pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
Sprinkle baking stone lightly with corn meal. Slide pizza from peel to baking stone and bake for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir to combine Parmesan, parsley, oregano, ricotta, basil, salt and pepper.
Open oven door, and working quickly, dollop with spoonfuls of cheese mixture. Return to oven and baked until crust is golden brown and topping is bubbling, about 5 to 7 minutes.
PIZZA DOUGH
MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO 12-INCH PIZZAS
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active-dry yeast
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Place water in the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle over yeast. Let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer and fit with the dough hook attachment. Add flour, olive oil, salt, and sugar. Mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm location (75-85 degrees F.) until dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. At this point, if you can either use immediately or you can freeze, well-wrapped, for up to 2 weeks.
