Thin Crust
Pizza
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Thin-Crust Pizza

For many years I have
been trying to learn the secrets of making a good thin-crust pizza.
I've had this type of pie at various pizza parlors such as Shakey's
Pizza Restaurant, Pizza Inn, Pizza Hut, and the Village Inn Pizza
Parlor. I have been told that this type of pizza is officially known
as an "Original California-Style" pizza and is also found at such
restaurants as Straw Hat and Round Table. All of these restaurants
make a pizza with a crust that is thin and crispy with small to
medium sized air bubbles throughout. It also has a crisp, crunchy,
cracker-like outer edge. Click here
to see what I mean.

Here are some of the
secrets that I have learned so far:

The whole concept
of the thin crust is more than just the flour or dough
recipe, it is the method of sheeting the dough into the
pizza pan. Most restaurants employ the use of a special
machine known as a dough sheeter (or roller) which rolls out
the dough quickly and evenly. They typically run the dough
through the sheeter about 5 or 6 times, dusting the dough
with flour each time, to get it down to the paper-thin
thickness. The function of the dusting flour is to actually
incorporate more flour into the dough during the sheeting
process. The dough is typically short a little flour in the
mixing process so that it will sheet easier, so the dough
reaches its final flour content during the dusting and
sheeting process.

Acme Dough
Roller

Thin-crust pizza dough
is somewhat dry and dense after sheeting. You will need to dust
the dough with flour several times as you roll it out in order to
incorporate more flour into the recipe. This also helps ensure
that the dough will not stick to the countertop and your rolling
pin.

It is important that
you use flour with a high gluten content (12% protein or higher)
in order to make the crust crispy. The King Arthur
Flour Company manufactures a high-gluten flour that contains
14% protein which is excellent for this recipe (see their "Sir
Lancelot" brand). If you don't have Sir Lancelot handy then use a
quality bread flour that contains at least 12%
protein. Do not use all-purpose flour.

Retard dough a full day
(24-hours) in the refrigerator (38 °F to 40 °F). This allows the
yeast to work long and hard which develops the dough's
characteristic texture and, more importantly, its unique flavor.
Allow dough to warm to room temperature for about an hour or two
before rolling out and docking. Note: For a more intense flavor,
retard the dough at room temperature for 24 hours instead of in
the refrigerator.

Dough docker

The dough must be
docked after being sheeted and placed in pan. Docking
prevents large air bubbles from forming in the crust. If you
do not own a dough docker, you can use a fork to prick the
dough thoroughly.

Pre-cook the crust for
4 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings. This allows the
crust to become more crisp before weighing it down with
toppings.

I have worked long and
hard developing this recipe and it is by no means perfect. I have
eaten more test-pizzas than I care to admit. I hope you enjoy the
fruits of my labor and I hope that you share your pizza making
experiences with me. Good luck!

Dough Recipe

1 pound (or about 3
cups) bread flour
7 fluid ounces (7/8 cup) warm water
1
tablespoon vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 teaspoon active
dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon
sugar

In a heavy-duty
stand mixer (e.g., KitchenAid) fitted with dough hook, add the
water, shortening, yeast, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until
yeast has fully dissolved. Add flour and salt. Mix on low
until most of the flour and water has mixed, then continue
kneading for 10 minutes. The dough will be loose and scrappy
at first and will eventually form a cohesive ball. There
should be no raw flour or crumbs remaining in the
bowl.

The dough will be
somewhat dry and dense. Place the dough ball into a large bowl
and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 24
hours in the refrigerator before using. Please note
that I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a 24-hour
rising time since it is absolutely essential so
that the dough will develop its signature texture and, more
importantly, its unique flavor! Do not skip this
step!

Thin-Crust Pizza
Sauce

28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
(Redpack brand preferred)
1 tablespoon fresh green
bell pepper, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh
yellow onion, very finely chopped
1 clove fresh
garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried
oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to
taste)

Process the
tomatoes through a tomato strainer (or potato ricer with a
fine mesh) or simply puree the tomatoes in a blender. The use
of a strainer removes the tomato seeds and remaining skin.
Pour into a saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Cook over
low heat for 20 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil).
Allow to cool to room temperature before
using.

Preheat your oven to 500
°F about one hour before you plan to bake the pizza.

Turn the dough out onto a
large surface and dust with flour. Using a heavy rolling pin (or
dough sheeter), roll the dough out very thin to form a
24-inch or larger circle. If you're using a cutter pizza
pan (recommended), dust the pan lightly with flour, place the
dough in the pan and dock. Use the rolling pin to trim off the
excess dough drooping over the sides of the pan. If you wish to cook
the pizza directly on a pizza stone (not using a pan), then place
the dough on a dusted pizza-peel, dock, and fold the edge over
1-inch all the way around and pinch it up to form a raised lip or
rim.

Photo courtesy of pizzatools.com

Next, pre-cook the crust
for 4 minutes before adding any sauce or toppings. Remove the crust
from the oven and pop any large air pockets that may have formed.
Add the sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and your favorite
toppings. Continue baking, rotating the pan half way through so that
it cooks evenly, until crust is sufficiently browned and crisp,
about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and slide
pizza out of cooking pan onto a large wire cooling rack or cutting
board. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving
pan. This step allows the crust to stay crisp while it cools,
otherwise the trapped steam will soften the crust.

Once cool, use a pizza
cutter to slice the pie into pieces and enjoy! Please share your
results with me!

Honorable
mention: I owe a great
deal of my thin-crust pizza making success to Scott Erb (see his Web
site) and Tod Livingston.
Both Scott and Tod worked at pizza parlors during their youth and,
although they could not remember the exact ingredients and recipes,
they pointed me in the right direction in developing a thin-crust
pizza. I have also received some useful information from Fisher Mills who manufactures
a thin-crust pizza dough mix for use in
restaurants.

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