DOUGHS AND SAUCES

THE DOUGH IS PROBABLY THE TRICKIEST part of pizza making at home. While pizza dough is nothing more than bread dough with oil added for softness and suppleness, we found in our testing that minor changes in the ingredients list can yield dramatically different results.

Our goal in testing was threefold. We wanted to develop a recipe that was simple to put together; the dough had to be easy to shape and stretch; and the crust needed to bake up properly: crisp and chewy (but not tough and leathery) for thin-crust and grilled pizzas; tender and chewy for deep-dish pizza, with a lighter, more open crumb.

After some initial tests, it was clear that bread flour delivers the best texture for thin-crust and grilled pizzas. Bread flour makes pizza crust that is chewy and crisp. Unbleached all-purpose flour could be used in a pinch, but the resulting crust is less crisp.

When it comes to deep-dish pizza, we prefer all-purpose flour. We found that unbleached all-purpose flour, with its lower protein content, makes the dough softer with a more breadlike chew than the same dough made with bread flour. To add softness and suppleness, we more than doubled the amount of oil in this dough.

The second key to perfect crust is water. We found that using more water makes the dough softer and more elastic. It stretches more easily than a stiffer, harder dough with less water. We prefer to jump-start the yeast in a little warm water for five minutes. We then add more room-temperature water and oil.

When it comes to combining the dry ingredients (flour and salt) with the wet ingredients, the food processor is our first choice. The liquid gets evenly incorporated into the dry ingredients, and the blade kneads the dough in just thirty seconds. Of course, the dough can be kneaded by hand or with a standing mixer. If making the dough by hand, resist the temptation to add a lot of flour as you knead.

It is possible to flavor pizza dough (we offer several variations) or to change the rising time by using less yeast and/or refrigerating the dough. This way, dough can be made the night before or in the morning and ready when you need it for dinner. We also have developed a quick dough for thin-crust pizza that is ready for the oven in one hour. Keep the following tips in mind when making pizza dough.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT FLOUR. Bread flour makes crisp crusts and is the perfect choice for thin-crust pizza or grilled pizza, which is also fairly thin. All-purpose flour makes a soft, chewy, more breadlike crust, ideal for deep-dish pizza.

CHANGE THE FLAVOR. For a change of pace, it is easy to alter the flavor of the crust. Add a little semolina or cornmeal to the dough. The results are similar although the semolina makes a slightly lighter and crisper crust. Whole wheat flour gives pizza crust a hearty flavor but may slow down the rising time a bit. Garlic and herbs will add flavor to any dough but are especially welcome in a grilled pizza because the toppings are so light.

KEEP IT COVERED. Use plastic wrap to cover the oiled bowl with the rising dough. The tight seal offered by plastic wrap keeps the dough moist and protects it from drafts. We reserve the traditional damp cloth for when the dough has been divided into balls and is waiting to be stretched out.

LET IT RISE AT YOUR OWN PACE. Decreasing the yeast slows down the rising time, making it possible to mix dough in the morning and then shape it at dinnertime. You may also chill the dough to retard development of the yeast, allowing the dough to be refrigerated overnight and then to rise during the day and be shaped at dinnertime.

GIVE IT A REST. In order to stretch dough to its maximum diameter, let it rest one or two times during the shaping process. Once you feel some resistance from the dough, cover it with a damp cloth, and wait five minutes before going at it again. We find that fingertips and hands do a better job of stretching dough than a rolling pin, which presses out air from the risen dough and makes it tough. Our low-tech method is also superior to flipping dough into the air and other silly directions that may work in a pizza parlor but can cause disaster at home.

FREEZE LEFTOVER DOUGH. Even if baking just one medium pizza, make a full dough recipe. After the dough has risen and been divided, place the extra dough in an airtight container and freeze it for up to several weeks. Defrost and stretch the dough when desired.