Robert's Mostyum pizza dough Ingredients: 3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour extra sifted flour for adding to doughwhile kneading, flouring the working surface and rolling pin, etc 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt 1/4 cup of warm water (close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 100 degrees) 1 package of rapid rise yeast (check date to make sure it's not older than date) 3/4 cup of room temperature rice milk 1/4 teaspoon of sugar 2 tablespoons of olive oil plain yellow corn meal for the pizza pan or pizza stone surface
Procedure: In a pint jar or glass measuring container, add the yeast to the warm water. Stir the mixture with a wooden chop stick or the handle end of a wooden spoon. Add the sugar and stir into the yeast mixture. Allow the yeast to proof (the rehydrated yeast feed on the sugar and begin to metabolize the sugar for their energy needs. This process of metabolic respiration releases carbon dioxide gas which causes the yeast mixture to foam and increases apparent volume. This gas is what causes the dough to rise. The proof that the yeast are alive and actively respiring is the foam and increased apparent volume of the mixture. The proofing period varies upon ambient temperature, usually about five minutes at a comfortable room temperature). Add the olive oil and mix into the yeast mixture. Add the rice milk and mix into the yeast mixture.
Dough making procedure: In a glass mixing bowl, combine 2 and 1/2 cups of the sifted flour and salt. Pour 1/2 of the yeast mixture into the bowl and begin to combine the liquid with the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon. Add the remaining yeast mixture and stir the the forming dough with the wooden spoon. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sifted flour and stir until the dough begins to form somewhat of a ball. Add more flour if necessary to obtain a manageable dough ball. If the dough is too dry, add a small amount of rice milk. Begin to knead the dough. Push the dough ball down flat and then scoop the dough ball edges and push inward. Add a small amount of flour when needed to keep the dough ball manageable and not too sticky for your fingers, as you continue to knead 50 times (push down, then scoop the edges inward). Let the dough ball rest two minutes. Then knead 20 more times, adding flour if necessary to maintain a manageable elastic dough. You will be able to pooch the dough in with your finger and it will pooch back out like, you may have seen, the Pillsbury Dough Boy do, on that commercial back in the day. If desired, you may lightly coat the top surface of the dough ball with olive oil. Cover the glass mixing bowl and allow the dough to double in volume, which may be one hour, more or less depending on elevation, room temperature, and humidity. After the dough has doubled in volume, push the dough ball down and place on a flat surface that has been lightly floured. When ready to roll out the pizza dough, flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough to the diameter of the round pizza pan or pizza stone. Put some plain yellow corn meal onto the pizza pan or pizza stone surface to aid in the prevention of the pizza dough sticking to the pan or stone surface. Place the pizza dough onto the pizza pan or pizza stone. Add a thin layer of olive oil to the rolled out pizza dough surface.
Robert's Mostyum White Pizza Ingredients: 32 ounces of room temperature ricotta cheese 1/4 cup of minced fresh garlic 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of coarse kosher salt 5 green onions (aka: scallions) chopped 1 cup of diced poblano pepper (to add spicy heat) or use a bell pepper if spicy heat is not desired. 2 large roma tomatoes sliced into round circles with a thickness of about 1/4 inch. 12 ounces of room temperature shredded mozzarella cheese Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese if desired
Procedure: Preheat an oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, garlic, and salt. With a spatula, cover the prepared pizza dough with the ricotta mixture evenly. Add the green onions and poblano pepper pieces and spread evenly over the ricotta cheese mixture. Decorate the pizza with the roma tomato round slices. Cover the top of the pizza with the mozzarella cheese.
Place the pizza into the middle center of the preheated oven. Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the pizza crust is browned on its bottom surface and the top surface is completely baked and cheese is melted. Remove pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, if you can wait that long! Enjoy and have a sunny day...