No-Knead Pizza Crust

Here is the pizza crust that we have been eating all week! I was so happy with the results that I made it two days in a row. This crust has served as a vehicle for cheese, tomato sauce, sausage, shrimp, cilantro pesto, onions, kale, even fig jam! My new favorite pie is topped with ricotta, thin red onions, fig jam, and pine nuts. Stellar.

You might know by now that I am a somewhat lazy cook.  At least I am a somewhat lazy baker. You see, Twin has the pastry thing covered in her professional life. I feel no pressure to pump out impressive cupcakes or brilliantly sculpted fondant.

I do however, love to eat baked goods! Especially the savory variety including bread, empanadas and pizza. I try to track down recipes that require few bowls and little active prep time. Sometimes they take longer to make overall but that is ok because I do (usually) know how to plan ahead.

This dough fits the bill and like all my favorite recipes/techniques is open to variation. Try using some whole wheat flour and adding things like seeds & wheat bran. I used beer to add extra flavor to the dough. The beer can be omitted and water used instead. Tall Dark and Handsome likes the non-beer crust better but I prefer to eat and work with the semolina/beer crust.

This pizza dough can be made days ahead of time and you don’t have to knead it once.

Pizza Dough: yields 6 medium pizzas

• 5.5c a.p. flour
• 2c semolina (or whole wheat, or a.p. flour)
• 2T salt
• 3/4t yeast
• 2c beer (1- 12oz bottle will work, or water)
• 1c water
• Olive oil

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Slowly pour beer into the well. Fold flour over the beer until mostly combined. While stirring, add enough water for the mix to come together to form a lumpy dough with no dry spots.

Turn the dough into a large bowl and tuck the edges under forming a rough dough ball. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic and then a tea towel. Set the bowl in an out of the way place overnight (12-18 hours).

 

The next day dust a large cutting board with semolina (or flour) and turn the risen dough out of the bowl. Cut into 6 portions. Tuck the edges of each portion under until you have a smooth dough ball. Loosely wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for one hour (or until it feels soft and spongey).

This is a good time to store extra dough in the freezer. While this dough holds for up to 5 days in the fridge, I would suggest freezing a couple dough balls for future use.

When ready to make pizza preheat the oven to 500 degrees. This should be done at least 30 minutes prior to baking. If using a pizza stone place it in the lower 1/3^rd of the oven.

To form pizza, dust the outside of the dough ball in flour or semolina. Gently pull the edges of the ball out to begin forming a round crust. Work your hands around the edge gently pulling until the dough is approx. ¼” thick. If you have difficulty working the dough by hand, pull out a rolling pin and go to town.

Be sure there is plenty of semolina beneath the crust so it doesn’t stick to the board and begin to build your pie. Use a peel or thin cookie sheet to transfer pizza to the hot oven.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until the crust begins to turn brown and any cheese turns golden.

Allow to cool long enough to avoid pizza burn on the roof of your mouth and enjoy!