Crispy, Chewy, Pizza Dough

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Title

Crispy, Chewy, Pizza Dough

The easy, no-knead dough for perfect crust.

BY Kevin Semagin

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Story 1

Getting to know Fernet Branca, and the Industry Sour

There will always be things that we enjoy more than our friends do. This is the case for me, and my love of Fernet Branca (and most Amari for that matter). Fernet Branca is a very bracing spirit: bitter, herbal, and with a menthol minty finish. It’s clear why all folks don’t always enjoy it, I know I didn’t at first, but it’s got a serious cult following.

Story 2

I was first introduced to the spirit when a friend of mine told me about his summer theater job. He told me about going to the bar with his coworkers, and how at the end of the night, one of the higher ups would buy folks a round of shots. The only catch: your options were Fernet Branca, or Fernet Menta. Hearing him describe it, the options were: medicine, or medicine with toothpaste. Despite the options, underpaid theater workers who like to drink did not turn it down.

Sometime later I found myself at an empty bar making small talk with the bartender and I asked them about Fernet. They said that they had it behind the bar, but had never tried it themselves. To my surprise, they pulled the bottle out, put two shot glasses down, and poured us each a little taste. It was certainly similar to my friend's description, but not so unbearable. After the bartender put the bottle away and we continued talking, she mentioned that Fernet Branca was “an industry thing” and very popular among bartenders.

Story 3

Armed with this new experience and information I went out into the world and caused a bit of trouble. If I was out with a friend, and they proposed getting a round of shots, I would suggest that we get a round of Fernet Branca. Most of the folks that I hung out with at the time were young enough to have not come across Fernet quite yet so the intrigue of trying something new coupled with their ignorance of the flavor profile led to some funny faces to say the least. No one truly cursed me for this little joke, I’m sure because I was right there alongside them, and we could share in discussing the nature of the drink.

The funny part about trying something over and over, is you develop a fondness for it. This is what ended up happening to me with my little Fernet Branca gambit. The benefit of this newly acquired taste was that I was able to occasionally impress and endear myself to bartenders when I ordered a shot of Fernet - Who doesn’t want to be friends with their bartender (make sure you still tip well!).

Story 2

I continued to occasionally order Fernet Branca when I noticed it on the back bar, telling friends, “It tastes like medicine, and I love it.” One evening, I was at a friend’s rehearsal dinner (the same friend that initially told me about Fernet coincidentally), and I struck up a conversation with the bartender about the bottle of dark liquor on the limited back bar. I was surprised to see it in an otherwise sparsely populated bar intended to make simple drinks. He and I shared a round of Fernet, and he told me that he had a cocktail that he wanted me to try tomorrow when he had his full bar setup.

The next day, I found my new friend behind the bar and asked him about the cocktail he had mentioned the night before. He smiled, and whipped up a drink called The Industry Sour. He told me it was an even parts drink with Fernet Branca, Green Chartreuse, lime, and simple. The name comes from the fact that the drink is based off of a sour template, and features two of the cocktail industry’s favorite spirits.

Story 3

Both of these spirits are very formidable in their flavor profile, yet somehow it works beautifully. The herbal flavor profiles blend tempering the more challenging flavors, while maintaining their unique quality. The sweeter Chartreuse and the simple syrup, cuts the bitterness of the Fernet. Lime juice gives the cocktail a classic, refreshing, citrus zing that is familiar in most sours, and the Fernet Branca delivers a nice minty finish.

My relationship with Fernet Branca started as a somewhat sinister prank, I’m glad that I accidentally acquired a taste for it. It opened the door for me to a richer cocktail palette, particularly with The Industry Sour.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

4 c, 510 grams, 00 pizza flour or bread flour. (King Arthur bread flour works well)
1 tsp, 2.7 grams, active dry yeast
2 Tsp, 11 grams, Diamond kosher salt or 1 3/4 tsp table salt
1 ¾ c, 414 grams, Cold Water

Equipment

Large bowl
Sturdy wooden spoon
Pizza steel or stone
Pizza peel

Procedure 1

Mix and combine

4 c, 510 grams, 00 pizza flour or bread flour. (King Arthur bread flour works well)
1 tsp, 2.7 grams, active dry yeast
2 Tsp, 11 grams, Diamond kosher salt or 1 3/4 tsp table salt
1 ¾ c, 414 grams, Cold Water

In a medium bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt, stir thoroughly. Pour water over the flour mixture and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon. When the mixture has no visible dry pockets, but still looks shaggy, stop mixing and cover with a kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes. During this time, the flour will begin to hydrate and allow early gluten development to begin. Stir again until the dough comes together a bit more. Continue to the next step.

Procedure 2

Stretch and fold

**Plan ahead - This is best if made a day ahead however, if you are short on time, just skip the overnight cold ferment and go straight to the counter. GIve the dough balls as much rising time as you can, 4 hours is ideal.

Now you will begin to work the dough using a common stretch and fold technique used mostly for doughs with a high percentage hydration. This will build structure and create gluten much like kneading does.

Reach under the right side of the dough grabbing it and pull it over to the the left side, dropping it back down on itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you have done all 4 sides. Cover bowl and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold until you have done it 4 times total. The dough should start to be elastic and will feel tacky but not sticky.

After the fourth stretch and fold, place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, mist lightly with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap, or alternatively use an airtight container. Be sure that there is room for the dough to expand. The bowl should be at least twice as large as the dough ball. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Procedure 1

On Baking Day

Remove dough from the refrigerator about 4 hours before you are planning on having it in the oven. Divide into 2 even pieces with a bench scraper or sharp knife. Shape each piece of dough into a ball and lightly mist with olive oil. Loosely drape with a clean kitchen towel and let rest.

Preheat the oven to 500 with a baking stone or steel at least 45 minutes before baking pizza. Your oven may tell you it’s preheated faster than that, don’t let it trick you.

Procedure 2

Shape and Bake

When you are ready to make your pizza, move one piece of dough to a heavily floured surface. Gently press it into a wider disc, leaving the center alone. Once it is evenly expanded by about 3 inches, let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.

You can dust yoru pizza peel with cornmeal to help the dough slide, but a well floured bottom crust will eliminate that need. stretch the dough with floured hands so it doesn’t stick to you. Place the stretched dough on the peel. Add toppings as desired and bake. Timing may vary depending on toppings and oven but look for a golden edge. A slight char is a plus but make sure it doesn’t get too black.

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