Pizza Crisper PLUS Dough made with Fresh Yeast {RECIPE}

Well the school holidays are over (for now) and life is returning back to some sort of normality. Relaxed mornings, minimal routine and basically just recharging our batteries for the BUSY last term of school before heading into the Christmas and summer break.

These school holidays have seen a lot of pizza. Pizza is one of those meals that is easy to make and which everyone likes to get involved in. We had a lot of kids and friends over during the holidays, so cooking up pizza was a great meal that (with a little forward thinking and preparation) I could prepare for hungry little people.

Mexican Pulled Pork Pizza

I recently received a Pizza Crisper from Chicago Metallic to try out. Honestly, if you love a pizza with a crispy base, you must keep an eye out for one of these pans. It has a perforated surface and air is able to circulate freely so that the crust and toppings bake evenly.


Chicago Metallic Pizza Crisper

The Chicago Metallic Pizza Crisper pan is made from heavy-weight carbon steel, so it won’t warp in the oven as so many cheap pans will tend to do.

In my whole “getting back to basics” way, I like to make my own pizza dough. I usually use the dry packet yeast but decided to have a go at using fresh yeast. Have you ever baked with fresh yeast? It’s a little different to the packet stuff and takes a little longer to prove, but the result is worth the effort.

Fresh yeast is a little difficult to source here in my local area but there is a European style grocer/delicatessen where I can get it, a few suburbs away… and yes, I make the effort to drive a few suburbs away to buy 50c worth of yeast.

Pizza Dough made with Fresh Yeast

Ingredients
4 cups of plain flour
1 1/4 cup of tepid water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 pinches of salt
Fresh yeast – the way it’s been described to me is the length of your index fingertip to the first knuckle. Yes, not very technical, but it works.

Method
Place the yeast in the water until it’s dissolved. Help it along by ‘mashing’ it with a fork if necessary.
Place all of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, put your dough hook on your mixer and mix it all until combined. If the dough is looking dry, add a little extra warm water (a tablespoon at a time) until it’s soft and smooth.
Take it out of the bowl and place the dough onto a floured surface. Knead it by hand, adding extra sprinkles of flour if necessary, until the dough is soft and elastic.
Rub a little olive oil around the inside of a large bowl and place your dough into the bowl. Cover it and let it rest in a warm, draft-free space for a couple of hours.
After a couple of hours, the dough should have doubled in size. Punch it down and let is rest for another half or so.
When you’re ready to make the pizza, cut the dough into 4 sections – this will make 4 average sized pizza’s (or 2 BIG ones).
Spray a little oil and stretch the dough out (gently) with your finger tips onto the pan base. Keep at it until it reaches the edges. It will stretch… and stay.
Top with some tomato passata, basil and cheese. Olives, capsicum, mushrooms, pepperoni or chorizo are also delish. Really, anything goes well on a pizza, doesn’t it???
Bake in a 180 degree oven for approximately 10-15 minutes (until it’s golden and cooked through).
Slice,serve and enjoy.

Pizza

Disclaimer: This is NOT a paid post. I received the Chicago Metallic Pizza Crisper to review. All opinions and images are my own.

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