CAPRIAL PENCE

The first time I had really great pizza was by the side of the road in a small town in the south of France. The pizza was made in a wood-burning oven in the back of a van. Who else but the French would make a pizza with a cream sauce, lardons and creamy fontina cheese?  It was call Pizza Royal.

That pizza started my pizza obsession.  It has gone way beyond my normal obsession with food and cooking. I am constantly thinking about how I can make my pizza even better, perfect even.  I’ve worked on my dough for about two years now, changing little things each time I make it, in my quest for the perfect pizza.  About a year or so ago we got a Wood Stone pizza oven in our backyard and that’s when I really got crazy.

Why pizza?  I think it's because everyone eats pizza, but so few people have ever had a truly beautiful pizza.  A pizza made in the right hands is nothing at all like the cardboard greasy versions most people consume on a regular basis.  I love the idea of working to create the very best pizza I can. So maybe I am getting a bit crazy, but it's in the service of something I love.

My crust: water, yeast, and extra virgin olive oil in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.  I add enough flour to make a soft dough that sticks to the bottom of the mixer but cleans the sides of the bowl.  Then I take the dough out and knead a bit on a lightly floured board.

I take the dough in my hand, fling it onto the board and then fold it over itself. I do this for about 10 minutes, kneading a bit in between the flings.  When my dough is supple and smooth, I put the dough into a lightly oiled container. I cover the dough with a lid and allow it to double in volume, which usually takes about an hour. Now, if you have the time, cut the yeast way back and let the pizza proof overnight in the refrigerator -- it will significantly improve the dough’s flavor. Your dough will be good in the refrigerator for up to three days. So I always try to make my dough the night before, it makes all the difference in the world.

Then I form the dough into 8-ounce balls, place on a lightly oiled pan and cover and let them rest for another hour. 

When my dough is ready I stretch it out on a floured board.  I like my dough pretty thin, but if I make it too thin John yells at me because it makes it hard to cook. I put the stretched-out dough on a well-floured pizza peel making sure it slides around easily. I sauce the pie lightly, then add just enough toppings, but not so much that it’s too heavy for the thin crust. Then comes the baking.

We start our oven with gas, then when it's up to temperature we turn the flame down and John starts a fire in the oven.  We use the wood from pinot noir barrels that we get from our friend that runs Cameron Winery.  Oak soaked with pinot noir -- the smell is just amazing. Since it's outside and right now cold, John cooks the pizza while I am cozy inside getting the next pizza ready to cook. We slide the pizza in and in about 4-5 minutes we have a gorgeous pizza pie!

My Pizza Crust (makes about 9 eight oz. pizzas)

4 cups water
1 tablespoon yeast ( you can cut this all the way down to a 1/2 teaspoon of yeast if you proof your dough 24 hours ahead)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
bread flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook place the water, yeast, and olive oil.   Turn the machine on and mix well. Add a couple of cups of flour -- one cup at a time mixing well after each addition.  Add enough flour that the sides of the bowl are clean but the dough sticks to the bottom of the bowl -- a softer dough is always better than drier.  Add the salt and mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes. Knead on a floured board for about another ten minutes until smooth and elastic.  Let proof until doubled in volume.

John’s Marinara
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, sliced
2 (28 ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and black pepper
To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil in a very large sauté pan until hot.  Add the garlic and cook just until golden brown.  When just brown, add the tomatoes, the fresh basil, and dried herbs. Simmer over lower heat for about 20 minutes.  Season well with salt and black pepper.  Keep warm until ready to use.