Sourdough Pizza in Teglia with banana and roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach, onions and pepperoni

I'm really enjoying making this style of pizza.  It is quite filling and one pizza makes two dinners for us.  This time I didn't have my usual all purpose flour so used bread flour.  I also used whole wheat flour this time instead of either spelt or kamut just to try something slightly different.  I don't find that I can taste much difference between the pizzas made with the different flours since the toppings really are the most prominent flavour of the pizza. 

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For pizza on an 17” x 11” pan

Overnight levain

Duration: 12 hours (overnight) at warm room temperature: 74°–76°F (23°–24°C).

In the morning mix the dough when the levain is at peak.  To the bowl of the stand mixer add water, salt, sugar and diastatic malt, stir to dissolve.  Then add the levain, stir to dissolve.  Finally add the flours.  Mix on low speed until there is no dry flour then increase to medium and mix until the dough is moderately developed.  Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil stopping until each addition is incorporated.  Finally mix until good gluten development.

Remove the dough from the bowl and do a bench letterfold.  Transfer the bowl to an oiled bowl for bulk fermentation.  

Do three sets of coil folds at 30 mins intervals and then allow the dough to rest until it reaches 40-50% rise.

Optional cold retard.  Place the dough in the fridge until the next early afternoon.  This is done primarily for convenience.

Allow the dough to continue to ferment at a warm temperature 80°F or so until it reaches 100% rise then shape.

Shaping 

Oil the pan well and brush the bottom and the sides with the olive oil.

Thoroughly flour the top of the dough in the bowl, release it from the sides of the bowl using a bowl scraper then flip it onto the counter.  Flour the exposed dough well with flour and flour the counter around the sides of the dough well.  Using your bowl scraper push some of that flour under the edges of the dough.

Using your hands, get your fingers well under the dough and stretch it out into a rectangle.  Next using your fingers gently press them into the dough to elongate the dough.  Flip the dough over and repeat aiming to get the dough to about 75% of the area of the pan.  

Transfer the dough to the oiled pan by folding it in half and unfolding it once in the pan.  Gently stretch the dough out to touch the edges of the pan.  If it resists stretching, wait 15 mins and try again after the gluten has relaxed.

Aim to bake the pizza once the total rise is 120-125%.  About 1 hour prior to baking pre-heat the oven to 500°F placing your backing steel on the lowest rack of the oven.

Bake the pizza.

Drizzle olive oil onto the dough.  Then using a large spoon, spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough from edge to edge.  Slide the baking pan into the oven on top of the baking surface. Decrease the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and sprinkle on the grated cheese and any other toppings. Lightly drizzle some olive oil over the entire pizza. Slide the sheet pan back into the oven on the baking surface and bake for 20 minutes more. The cheese should be melted and the bottom crust well colored.

Crushed Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 cups

1 can San marzano tomatoes - squeeze tomato water out of the tomatoes then using a hand mash up the tomato meat.  Keep the canned juice and tomato water mix to drink.

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp minced fresh basil

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano

1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

2 tbsp red wine vinegar or freshly squeeze lemon juice or a combination

1 tsp salt to taste

Stir together, can store up to 1 wk.

For less greasy pizza, just place your pepperoni in a single layer on some paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. This starts to cook the pepperoni, and you'll see some of that fat start to melt out and be absorbed by the paper towel.  I did 30 secs twice.

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My index of bakes.