Red Wagon Pizza
Serves: 5
Floy Nolan
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
53
Spice
56
Sweetness
42
Sourness
41
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
280 g
Water (very cold)2 tsps
Yeast (dry active)1
Sea Salt1 cup
Oregano2 tbsps
Crushed Red Pepper2 tbsps
Garlic SaltDirections:
1
Special equipment: a pizza stone Pour the flour, water and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix for 2 1/2 minutes
2
Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix for another 2 1/2 minutes
3
Throw 1 tablespoon sea salt on top of the mixed dough; cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes
4
After the dough rests, return to the mixer and mix in 1-minute increments until the dough passes a window test (see Cook's Note) to verify gluten development
5
Once gluten development is verified, leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator until it doubles in size, about 2 hours
6
While the dough is doubling, pour the crushed tomatoes and whole tomatoes into a food processor
7
Add the oregano, crushed red pepper and garlic salt and process until smooth
8
Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use
9
Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to the highest temperature it will allow (500 to 550 degrees F; never set it to broil)
10
Drain the banana peppers
11
Chop them roughly and set aside
12
Grate the mozzarella and provolone and toss them together in a large bowl
13
Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into approximately three to four 9-ounce balls
14
Take 1 ball and reserve the remaining for another use
15
In the palm of your hand, rotate the ball of dough in a circular pattern until the top of the ball is smooth
16
Don't be afraid of the dough ball
17
If you mess up, just knead the dough and wait for it to rise and try again
18
Throw some flour down on a clean, dry surface and press the dough ball flat
19
Once the ball is flat, focus on the edges of the ball by pressing the edge completely flat against the work surface
20
This will leave a higher point in the center of the dough ball
21
Now, flip the dough ball over and slowly start to stretch the dough a little at a time from the edge while pushing down slightly in the middle
22
Again, don't be afraid: If you mess up, just ball up the dough and wait for it to rise and try again
23
The dough should be shaped into a 12- to 14-inch round
24
Place the round on a cutting board or pizza peel dusted with flour
25
Ladle some of the tomato sauce onto the dough and float the bottom of the ladle over the dough until the sauce reaches roughly 1/2 inch away from the edge
26
Do not go over the edge, otherwise the sauce will make it sticky between the peel and the dough, which will make it very difficult to slide off
27
Reserve the remaining sauce for another use
28
Lightly sprinkle the cheese blend over the sauce, being certain to cross the sauce-dough line; this is called anchoring the cheese
29
You will still want to see some of the sauce through the cheese
30
Avoid putting too much on; it should be like a screen of cheese
31
Crumble some uncooked Italian sausage and sprinkle it onto the pizza evenly
32
Then sprinkle on some banana peppers
33
This next step is important
34
Take your ribbons of sopressata and curl them into an 'S' shape so they can stand upright, allowing the top of the sopressata to cook faster than the cheese
35
When building your Red Wagon Pizza, always think of the architecture of your pizza and how it will be cut and eaten, this will help you avoid having slices with no ingredients on them
36
Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone
37
If it is not sliding, lift the edge and gently blow on the flour to get the dough to float then slide it onto the pizza stone
38
Bake, checking the pizza occasionally, until the cheese is golden brown and the crust is cooked through, about 8 minutes
39
Remove the pizza from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack to cool for 1 to 2 minutes
40
Slide it onto a cutting board, cut and enjoy!