Ingredients
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CRUST
1 medium baking potato, about 9 oz (peeled and quartered)
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (17 1/2 oz)
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus
extra virgin olive oil, for oiling the bowl
TOPPINGS
3/4 cup tomato sauce (your favorite homemade or store-bought)
1/3 cup pesto sauce (your favorite home made or store bought)
1/2 cup chicken sausage (or seasoned cooked chicken cut into bit sized pieces)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped
1/3 cup onion (your favorite kind, raw or sauteed, chopped or strips)
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
hot pepper flakes, to taste
Preparation
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CRUST:
Bring 1 quart water and the potato to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until tender 10 - 15 minutes. Drain the potato and and cool until it can be handled.
Press potato through a potato ricer or grate on the large holes of a box grater.
Measure 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato; discard the remaining potato.
Adjust an oven rack to the highest position and the other rack to the lowest position; heat the oven to 200 degrees. Once the temperature reaches 200 degrees, maintain the heat for 10 minutes then turn off the heat.
Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add the water and process until the dough comes together in a shaggy ball.
Add the potato and process for several seconds, then add 2 tablespoons of the oil and process several more seconds, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled medium bowl, turn to coat with oil and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the warmed oven until the dough is soft and spongy and doubled in size, 30 - 35 minutes.
Oil the bottom of two 10-inch cake pans with 2 tablespoons of oil each.
Turn the dough onto a clean, dry work surface; divide it in half.
Pat each half into a 9-inch round.
Transfer the round to the oiled pans, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest until the dough longer resists shaping, about 10 minutes.
Place a pizza stone or rimless baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Uncover the dough and pull it into the edges and up the side of the pans to form a 1 inch high lip. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Uncover the dough and prick generously with a fork.
Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake on the heated stone or baking sheet (on the lowest rack) until the crust is dry and lightly browned, about 5 - 10 minutes.
Add the toppings.
Bake on the stone or baking sheet until the cheese melts, 10 - 15 minutes.
Move the pizza to the top rack and bake until the cheese is golden brown in spots about 5 minutes longer.
To make sure the crust is done, use a spatula to lift up the crust - it should be nicely browned underneath.
Let cool 5 minutes, then holding the pizza pan at an angle with one hand, use a wide spatula to slide the pizza from the pan to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.
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