Pizza Crust

[Carolyn]

Well, real simply take 2 cups of vetemjöl (about 5 dl), 1 teaspoon (1 tsk) salt, 2-1/4 teaspoons (2 tsk plus 1 ksk) dry yeast, blend in 1-1/2 cups (3.75 dl) warm water. Mix well for about 2 minutes. Then blend in more flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. On a dry flat surface, put about another cup (2.5 dl) of flour, put dough in the center of this and knead more flour into the dough, for about 5 minutes. Dough will not be sticky anymore and will have an elastic feel. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl (I use olive oil) turning so that the top of the dough gets some oil on it, cover with a dish cloth and place in a warm spot out of drafts for about an hour. Dough will have doubled in size and you know it has risen nicely when you poke it with two fingers and the dents remain. Punch down the dough in the bowl, to remove the air and then turn out the dough onto a floured surface, cover with the cloth and let rest about 15 minutes. In the meantime, heat your oven to about 225 C, grease your pizza pan (again, I use good quality olive oil) and then stretch out your dough to fit your pan.

I use the oven sheet that came with my oven, so the pizza size is almost the size of our apartment oven. You can divide the dough and make smaller pizzas, round pizzas, whatever. If you don't want to use all of the dough, place in a plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator. Then take out and let warm about 30 minutes before using.

Put on your sauces/topping of choice, slam in the HOT oven and let bake about 20 minutes. I also brush the edges with the olive oil, gives them a great flavor as well.

[Aussie]

Carolyn,

Looks good. I'll give it a try as my man LOVES pizza. Now, I'm not being picky, but 2 cups of flour is not a dl, more like 5dl

For those like me who are lazy and think about making pizza late in the day, I have a great recipe that I got from Beverly (in Bureå). It is quick, easy, idiot proof and tastes good!

Pizza Crust that rises while it bakes

1/2 Tbsp dry yeast
3 cups of flour
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
corn meal

Dissolve honey in warm water.
Mix 1 1/2 cups flour with yeast, salt, oil and honey/water.
Beat with electric mixer for 3 minutes.
Mix in remaining flour. Knead 5 mins
Put in oiled bowl and cover. Let rise in warm place 10 mins.
Punch down and divide in half.
Roll dough out and sprinkle corn meal on the underside.
Add sauce, cheese and toppings.
Bake at 250 C for 8-10 minutes or until crust is browned.

Makes 2 - 13 inch crusts.

I bake them one at a time and have noticed the second always rises higher. So if you have time to let them rise longer than 10 minutes you will probably have an even puffier crust. I usually try to let mine rise 20 or 30 minutes. But it works with just 10 if you don't have much time.

Sometimes I rub a bit of garlic powder into the crust before baking it and it gives it a great flavor. You might experiment with other seasonings as well.

[Carolyn]

Geeze, thanks for calling that to my attention, Aussie. I keep having to change my computer from Swedish to English when I start to type and I end up doing some really stupid things trying to get back in action.

[angiebaby]

thanks for the recipes ladies! I have a small problem - no mixer and I have weak hands. BTW are the recipes above for thin and crispy or pan pizza type?

[Carolyn]

I don't have a mixer either, only my wooden spoon, and my crust can be either thin or thick, depending on how much dough you take and how far you stretch it out.

With kneading dough, you don't need strength really, it's just the repetitive motion to work more flour into the dough and get it nice and smooth and give the yeast time to work. As a matter of fact, you should NOT be really putting all your strength into kneading anyway as that makes pretty heavy bread.

I have had surgery on both my hands and I not only do this dough at least once a month, but I make my own bread at least once a week and the occasional batch of sweet yeast rolls as well.

[Aussie]

Angela,

Mixers are really not very expensive. I only have a little one that I got from Halens last year. Maybe they are cheaper even at places like Obs.

But if you look at Halens website this United Brand Elvisp is 249 SEK, or 149 SEK if you want it without the bowl and stand. I decided to get the bowl and stand because I like it to mix away while I do something more useful (like have a glass of wine ;D)

It also comes with dough hooks. Just be careful that you read the instructions and put then in the right way round or you'll have the dough climbing up the hooks and trying to escape....

Halens is a mail order place too, so it can be delivered to your door...or at least to your nearest Posten

You can order a catalogue at www.halens.se or even order on-line.