How the staff eats at restaurants.
Just two weeks ago, Adam shared with us his great recipe for Carnitas with Tomatillo Salsa, but things in the restaurant world change quickly, and he's now a bread baker at Amy's Bread. We got to talking, and he pointed out that there are some differences between family meals at restaurants and bakeries, so I asked him to do another family meal post. He obliged with a recipe for pizza dough that highlights the precision of professional baking -- and the need for a kitchen scale! -Helen
Bakers get up too early to eat breakfast, and as the work is intensely physical, we need something to get us through the early morning (or late night). Snacks of left over pastry or bread get unappealing (and unhealthy) very quickly, but of course, there’s always dough.
A go-to favorite family meal option is pizza. The family meal supplies at a bakery are limited compared to the ingredients at a restaurant, but great toppings like mushrooms, olives and cheeses can come from leftover quiche and bread fillings.
Usually this pizza is made about halfway through the morning bake shift for lunch. Which happens at 8AM.
Makes 1 pizza
Dough :
- 10 ounces flour
- 6.2 ounces water
- .2 ounces salt
- .02 ounces instant dry yeast
- .5 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix until the dough comes together in a clean ball. The dough should feel strong when you pull against it.
- Place the dough in a bowl, and cover with plastic. Let it sit (ferment) for 2 hours at approximately 75 degrees F.
- After 2 hours, fold the dough in half and refrigerate overnight.
Sauce, Toppings:
- 5 peeled, crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- large pinches crushed red pepper flakes
- pinches salt
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 pound cremini mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper
- 1 handful (small) parsley, chopped finely
- fresh mozzarella, sliced
- Make the sauce: Combine the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and olive oil. Set aside.
- Saute the mushrooms: Warm butter and a splash of olive oil, add garlic and mushrooms, and saute until tender. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 500. Gently stretch and pull the pizza dough to desired thickness. Place on baking pan. Top with sauce, mushrooms, and thinly sliced mozzarella to taste. Bake at 500 degrees until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is beginning to brown.
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