Thin Crust Pizza

My quest for the perfect thin crust pizza started last spring after our trip to Italy.  The pizza in Italy was unlike anything that I have ever had.  I tried to recreate the thin crispy crust on the Italian pizza - feeling a little like Goldilocks as I fumbled through all sorts of pizza recipes.  Some crusts were too soft and bubbly, others too stiff and hard.  I longed for that perfect crust that I first had in the streets of Rome.  I finally found a recipe that has come very close to Italian pizza and I am thrilled to share it with you.

Pizza Dough
5 cups bread flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon yeast
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups room temperature water

Combine all ingredients into the mixer bowl of a standing mixer.  Using the dough hook, mix in medium low speed for 4 minutes.  Let dough rest for 5 minutes.  Mix another 3 minutes on medium low.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. 

Punch dough down and let rest for 5 minutes.  Divide into 4 pieces and stretch each into a circle.  (I spread mine out on a greased pizza screen.)

Light the Big Green Egg and bring the temperature up to 500.  Put the plate setter and the pizza stone in place.

Prepare all of the pizza topping so that the pizza can be "dressed" while it is on the egg.

Turn the pizza dough upside down onto the hot pizza stone and top with sauce, cheese and toppings.

The pizzas cook really quickly because of the high temperature.  Use a pizza peel to remove the pizza from the stone and repeat with another dough.

These were our favorite pizzas.

Caprese pizza - Fresh mozzarella and fresh basil

Fresh mushroom pizza

Bon Appetit!