Cornmeal Parmesan Pizza Base

Proof for 15 minutes:

• 1 cup water, warmed to 90F. Filtered or bottled water is best.
  (90F is warm enough so that you can't feel it at all when you dip your finger).
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp active dry yeast

Dry Ingredients: in a 4 qt mixing bowl

• 2½ cups bread flour
• ½ cup white cornmeal
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 tsp salt

When the yeast is proved (froth beginning to appear on the surface, or a fizzing sound when held to your ear), make a dip in the dry ingredients, and pour in the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to cohere and doesn't stick to the side of the bowl, and pour out onto a mixing board or mat.

Knead for 10 minutes. The cheese and cornmeal make this dough quite rough, but it should be soft and slightly elastic, and not at all sticky. Form the dough into a ball. Put 1T olive oil in the mixing bowl, roll the dough in the bowl, cover with cling film, and let raise for a hour (30 minutes will suffice if in a hurry).

Punch down once with a fist, and knead for 30 seconds (about 6 folds). Separate into two portions. Form each portion into a round, and press out to form a disc about 6 inches in diameter. At this point, the professional would spin and press the dough; I use a rolling pin. The dough rolls out really thinly - I roll it to an oval 12 inches by 14 inches which is the largest I can fit on my 14 inch peel and pizza stone. Pick the dough up by rolling it around the rolling pin (let it hang down as it comes over the top) and lay it out carefully on a sheet of parchment. Cover with a clean tea-towel and let raise for 30 minutes. Repeat for the second portion of dough.

Preheat the oven to 400 for 30 minutes with the pizza stone in place, while the bases rise.

Prick the surface of the dough lightly with a fork at about inch spacings to prevent it bubbling up, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack, cover with a tea-towel to let the steam escape. When completely cooled, wrap, and store or freeze.

OR Sauce the base and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp on the base, and the toppings are melted.

Credit: Adapted from Best Bread Machine Recipes

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