The Pizza Reference

The History of Pizza

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Modern-day pizza can trace its origins back to Italy somewhere in the 18th or 19th century. Naples is famously the home of the Pizza Margherita. The style that is in many ways the father of modern-day thin crust pizza. Margherita is a simple pizza. A yeasted dough is streched it into a circle while leaving an airy ring around the edges that will form up into a crust during the baking processs. On top fresh crushed tomates, fresh mozarella cheese, basil leaves, and olive oil complete the pizza. Once it is formed it is cooked at high temperatures for a short period of time before being cut up and served.

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All-purpose#

All-purpose flour is a medium gluten flour (9.5%-12%) that is useful for a wide variety of purposes.

Brand	Product	Protein	Wheat	Bleached	Bromated
Gold Medal	Medallion	11%		Y	N
King Arthur	All-purpose	11.7%		N	N

Bread#

Brand	Product	Protein	Wheat	Bleached	Bromated

Cake#

Brand	Product	Protein	Wheat	Bleached	Bromated

High Gluten#

Gluten content of 12.5-14.5%

Brand	Product	Protein	Wheat	Bleached	Bromated
King Arthur	Sir Lancelot	14%		N	N
General Mills	All Trumps Unbleached	14.2%		N	N
General Mills	All Trumps Bleached	14%		Y	Y
Bay State	Bouncer	14.0%	Spring	Y	Y

Semolina#

Semolina flour is a high-gluten coarsely-milled flour made from durum wheat.

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Roux is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight.

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00 Pizza Dough

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
280ml	Water
380g	00 Flour
100g	Semolina
36g	Olive Oil
14g	Salt
5g	Yeast
12g	Honey

Method#

Follow straight dough method.
1st proof for one hour.
Divide into two dough balls and place in pre-oiled bowls.
Allow 3-4 hours for second proof at room temperature

Bellagio Pizza Dough

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
480g	flour
9oz	water
17g	salt
17g	olive oil
3g	active yeast

Method#

Straight dough method
Cover and proof until double in size (About 60 minutes)
Punch down, roll into a ball cover lightly in olive oil wrap and proof in fridge for 12-24 hours

Bromated

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Source: King Arthur Baking

Potassium bromate (KBrO3), is a flour “improver” that strengthens dough and allows for greater oven spring and higher rising in the oven. Potassium bromate, commonly referred to as simply “bromate,” is a slow-acting oxidizer, contributing its functionality throughout the mixing, fermentation and proofing stages, with important residual action during the early stages of baking. Azodicarbonamide (ADA), potassium and calcium iodate, and calcium peroxide are rapid-acting oxidizers, while ascorbic acid (vitamin C) works at intermediate rates, but all release their activity in mixing and proofing. Bromate, when applied within the prescribed limits (15-30ppm), is completely used up during the bake leaving no trace in the finished product. However, if too much is used, or the bread is not baked long enough or at a high enough temperature, then a residual amount will remain.

Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
240g	All-Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp	salt
1/2 tsp	active yeast
170g	lukewarm water
13g	olive oil

Method#

Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or other medium-large mixing bowl.
Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. This should take 30 to 45 seconds in a mixer using the beater paddle; or about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball; cover the bowl.
After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90° each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.
Re-cover the bowl, and after 5 minutes do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat; then another 5 minutes, and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It’ll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor; this long rise will also add flexibility to your schedule.
About 3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons (18g) olive oil into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet that’s 10” to 11” diameter across the top, and about 9” across the bottom. Heavy, dark cast iron will give you a superb crust; but if you don’t have it, use another oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet of similar size, or a 10” round cake pan or 9” square pan. Tilt the pan to spread the oil across the bottom, and use your fingers or a paper towel to spread some oil up the edges, as well.
Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back; that’s OK, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling/pressing. At this point the dough should reach the edges of the pan; if it doesn’t, give it one more 15-minute rest before dimpling/pressing a third and final time.
Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy and will jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4" to 5" from the top heating element). Preheat the oven to 450°F.
When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (a scant 1 cup) evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing; this will yield caramelized edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese; laying the cheese down first like this will prevent the sauce from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.
Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom). If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom’s not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes. Home ovens can vary a lot, so use the visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you’ve achieved the perfect bake.
Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly; as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

Crispy Cracker

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
240g	All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp	salt
1 tsp	sugar
1/4 c	vegetable oil
3/4 c	lukewarm water

Method#

Knead all ingredients until a smooth dough is performed
Split into two dough balls
Let rest 30min-3 hours
Roll out dough and add toppings
Enjoy

Giordano's Sauce

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1/2 of a red onion, minced
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
One 28-ounce can of unsalted, crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped

Method#

As the dough rises, make the pizza sauce by combining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Mix in the minced onion, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper, and cook until the onion softens.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Pour in the tomatoes and sugar, then bring the sauce to a simmer.
Lower the heat and continue stirring for about half an hour until the sauce has reduced.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the fresh basil and remaining olive oil.

Giordano’s Deep Dish Dough

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Our Chicago deep dish pizza recipe makes two beautiful pies stuffed with mouth-watering mozzarella and any of your other favorite toppings. For the best results, be sure to carefully read the entire recipe before starting the cooking process. If you plan to make both pizzas at the same time, you will need 2 deep dish 9-by-2-inch round cake pans or 9-inch springform pans.

Yields: 2 deep dish 9-inch pizzas
Serving size: 1 slice of pizza
Number of servings: 8 per pizza
Calories: 525 calories, depending on additional toppings
Fat content: 34 grams, depending on additional toppings
Prep time: 4 hours, includes rising time
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 4 hours and 30 minutes

Giordano’s Pizza Dough

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
480g	All-purpose flour
350ml	Warm water (Around 100°)
40g	Olive oil
12g	Salt
8g	Sugar
7g	Yeast

Method#

Follow straight dough method.
Divide into two dough balls and place in pre-oiled bowls.
Allow 15-20 minutes for dough to rise.
Roll out dough to desired shape and thickness

Mother Sauces

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The five mother sauces, a foundation of classical French cuisine, were codified by chef Auguste Escoffier. They serve as the base for countless derivative sauces:

Béchamel – A white sauce made from a roux (butter and flour) and milk.
Velouté – A light stock-based sauce thickened with a white roux, commonly paired with poultry or fish.
Espagnole – A rich brown sauce made from beef stock, tomatoes, and a brown roux, forming the base of demi-glace.
Tomato Sauce – A thick, flavorful sauce made from tomatoes, often with herbs and aromatics.
Hollandaise – A creamy, egg-based emulsion with butter and lemon, used in eggs Benedict .

New York Style

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Ingredients measured for one 14" pizza.

Ingredients#

Amount	Ingredient
166ml	Water
263g	High-gluten flour
2.5g	Olive Oil
4g	Salt
3g	Yeast
8g	Sugar

Method#

Follow straight dough method.
If making multiple doughs divide and place in pre-oiled bowls.
Proof 24-48 hours in refrigerator.
Remove from refrigerator 3-4 hours before using.