Using the bowl from the Kitchen aid mixer place it on the digital scale and hit the tare bottom and wait till you see it go back to zero. Weigh out the water and add the salt to the water only if the yeast you are using is dry. If you are using Active dry yeast add the teaspoon to the water and with a spoon mix together until it’s completely dissolved and is not clumped. It will have a beer aroma. Place a separate bowl on the scale and tare to zero and weight out the flour. It’s best to add the flour to the bowl with the water after weighing. Its much more accurate this way. Depending on the yeast using adds either the salt or the yeast to the flour and using your fingers make it disappear. Then add the flour to the water and place the bowl onto the machine that has the dough hook attached. Start mixing on the slow speed so the flour does not start spitting out onto the counter. Once all the ingredients are mix together and its looks clumpy increase the speed slightly higher for about two minutes. Then increase the speed for another three minutes on a higher speed. Depending on the mixer you should not be on the highest speed unless it only has two or three speeds similar to a professional model. The dough is ready when it’s very smooth and peeling away from the side of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the machine and cover tightly with plastic film.

Bulk fermentation time: let the bowl of covered dough sit in a cool spot in the kitchen. The dough should sit for 1 hour or until its risen too double it original size. At this point leaving the dough in the bowl you can punch down and cover and place in the refrigerator for another hour or until its double in size again.

Shaping and proofing stage: After the dough has doubled or an hour has passed remove the bulk dough from the bowl. Place it on a well-floured counter surface. Using a metal bench scraper cut the dough into four pieces with should be between 200-250 grams each. If the ball of dough is larger once rolled out it maybe two big for a home pizza stone.

Using your hands fold the dough into a round ball gently. You can do this using two hands or one hand and the counter. Constantly fold the dough under using the side of your hand pressing the end of the dough on the counter to create a nice smooth ball. Drizzle a little oil into the four separate containers that you will store the ball in and cover. If you are using them on the same day then let sit in a cool spot for an hour or two depending on the time you made it. Four hours from start to finish is what we are looking for. If you need some more time between the four hours and when your guest arrive.

Making pizza:

Preheat the oven and pizza stone on the highest temperature for at least two hours. This will insure that the stone is nice and hot.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and make sure its room temperature before your remove from the plastic. Before rolling out the dough, make sure the countertop area is smooth and completely dry. Dust the area with a sprinkling of flour and then lightly stretch the dough by hand. Be careful not to stretch so much that you put holes in the dough. Using a rolling pin, continue stretching the dough into as close a round shape until it is approximately 12 to 13 inches round an even 1/8” thick all over. Let the dough sit for 1 minute before placing it onto the wood pizza peel that has been dusted with semolina or fine corn meal. This insures that the raw pizza will slide nicely off the peel onto the stone without sticking. Place the sauce into the center of the rolled out pizza and using a large serving spoon carefully and quickly spread the sauce evenly leaving a ½ inch exposed crust. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly onto the tomato sauce. Then sprinkle the salt, oregano and drizzle the pie with a tablespoon of oil. Place on the stone and cook until the crust has a nice blistered look. The cheese should be melted and bubbling. Do not be afraid to bake the pie till the crush has a nice golden brown color. In baking color is flavor. Using the metal pizza peel take the finished pie out and place on a pizza plate or a wooden surface that you will serve it on. Arrange the six leaf of basil nicely on the pie. I suggest waiting at least 90-120 seconds so the cheese will start to settle. It will be easier to cut and pick up. Good luck convince your guest of this but try its worth it. You will not burn the top of the inside your mouth and all the cheese will not slide off when you try too pick up the slice. Cut into six or eight pieces and enjoy.

Estelle Chicken Soup

Ingredients

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