Faster No-Knead Pizza Dough
No-Knead Pizza Dough
ingredients
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp. instant yeast (I used "rapid-rise")
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ cups lukewarm water
method
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 4-5 hours in a warm spot, about 70°.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces (for larger pizzas) or 4 pieces (for smaller pizzas) and shape each piece into a ball. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough balls with it. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
About 30 minutes before cooking, preheat oven (with pizza stone in it) to 500° F.
(I like to prepare my pizza on cornmeal sprinkled parchment paper. It then goes on to the hot pizza stone, parchment paper and all. After cooking for about 5 minutes, the bottom of the pizza should be firmed up enough to gently and carefully pull the paper out from under the pizza so the bottom of the crust can crisp up. Anyone who has ever had their pizza stick to their peel or stone can appreciate how much easier and neater this is!)
Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape, cover with toppings and bake on top of a very hot pizza stone until done. (Won't take long at 500°. so keep an eye on it!)
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Co. Makes two 16-inch pizza crusts
http://www.fortysomething.ca/2009/03/faster_noknead_pizza_dough.php