Tom Yum Margherita Pizza

Directions

1. Make the pizza dough.
   
   Stand mixer method: Mix water and plain yogurt together until even. In a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, add the yogurt mixture, bread flour, roasted barley tea powder, yeast, and salt. Mix on low until a cohesive dough forms, then knead on medium speed for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides and bottom of the bowl when the machine is running, but sticks right back when the machine stops. The dough should be quite wet, smooth and shiny.
   
   Transfer to a lightly oiled container and let proof until doubled, then transfer into the fridge for at least 10 or up to 24 hours. (If the room is warmer than 70°F/22°C, I would let the dough do the first rise completely in the fridge.) If the dough hasn't doubled after 24 hours in the fridge, leave it in a warm place until doubled before moving on to the next step.
   
   By-hand method: In an 8½-cup (2-liter) bowl or container, whisk the water and the yogurt until smooth, then add the flour and barley tea powder. Stir the mixture with a large spoon until a sticky, lumpy dough forms. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours depending on your schedule. This process is called the autolysis (see Author Notes). It betters the formation of gluten in the dough without a stand mixer.
   
   In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the remaining 2 teaspoons of water until the yeast has dissolved (no need to wait for it to foam). Add the yeast mixture and salt to the dough, then start folding it into the dough until evenly mixed. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
   
   Wet your hands to prevent sticking, and don’t worry about the extra moisture, because this dough can take it. Fold the dough with a slow and gentle motion: Cup your hand around the dough from the very bottom of the bowl, bring the dough up, and fold it over itself several times. Cover and let sit for another 30 minutes, then repeat the folding two more times.
   
   Cover and let proof until doubled, then transfer into the fridge for at least 10 or up to 24 hours. (If the room is warmer than 70°F/22°C, I would let the dough do the first rise completely in the fridge.) If the dough hasn't doubled after 24 hours in the fridge, leave it in a warm place until doubled before moving on to the next step.
2. 
   Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the best way to produce restaurant-style pizza in a home oven: One hour before serving, heat the oven with an inverted sheet pan to 500°F/260°C. After the oven is heated, move the inverted sheet pan to the upper level, a few inches below the broiler, and turn the broiler on high.
   
   While the oven is heating, gently scrape the dough onto a floured surface, taking care not to lose too many air bubbles. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, fold the corners of the dough over itself from two or three different directions, then flip it over so the seam side is facing down. Transfer to a surface without flour, then cup your hands around the dough and scoop it gently toward you from a few different directions to tighten the dough.
   
   Transfer the dough to a large piece of lightly oiled parchment paper, generously flour the top, then cover with plastic wrap. Let proof for 1½ to 2 hours, until it has doubled again.
3. Make the tom yum tomato sauce. In a blender, combine the tomatoes and their juices, lemongrass, shallots, makrut lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Blend for a couple of minutes, until extremely smooth.
   
   In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, Thai shrimp paste, and black pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the paste has disintegrated into the oil and has slightly browned. Add the tomato mixture, mix well, and partially cover the pot with a lid. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds into a thick tomato sauce. Season with more fish sauce to taste. This sauce can be made 2 days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
   
   Meanwhile, remove the central stems of the lime leaves and grind the leaves in a stone mortar until finely ground. Mix with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and set aside.
4. Finish and bake the pizza dough. To test, dust the surface with flour and gently dent the dough with your finger. If the dent stays and does not bounce back, the dough is ready. Transfer one pizza dough to a well-floured surface and dust with more flour on top to prevent sticking. Use the knuckles on your fingers to gently and slowly dent the dough, pushing and spreading it from the center outward until it’s about 13 inches wide (it will shrink a bit during cooking). Think of it as if you’re pushing the air bubbles outward and concentrating them on the outer rim of the pizza. If you’re like me and like a pizza with a really puffed, bubbled, and chewy rim, then leave the rim slightly thicker than the rest of the dough. If the dough is resisting and springing back too much, just let it rest for another 5 to 10 minutes and continue.
   
   Arrange the dough into a disk on a pizza peel dusted with flour. Spread a layer of tom yum tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a thin margin of bare dough on the edge. Break the mozzarella into small chunks and spread them evenly over the sauce, then sprinkle with finely diced pickled chiles (I use about 2 or 3 per pizza) and thinly sliced garlic (about 1½ cloves per pizza) evenly on top.
   
   Heat a pizza stone, or large flat cast-iron griddle (what I typically use), or a heavy pizza pan on the stove over high heat, until it starts to smoke. Gently slide the pizza onto the hot stone/griddle/pan and transfer it onto the oven rack just below the broiler. Bake until the pizza is puffed, golden, and charred in some spots, about 5 minutes, watching carefully.
   
   Prep and bake the second pizza.
5. Drizzle generously the Thai shrimp chile oil on each pizza, followed by the makrut lime leaf oil, for fragrance. Top with torn Thai basil or mint leaves, if using, and serve immediately.