Pesto, Heirloom Tomato, Purple Onion & Feta Pizza with No-Knead Dough
Jim Lahey was a genius. A revolutionary – right up there with Edison and Bell, and Arthur Fry (who invented the Post-It – why didn’t I think of that?) and Ruth Wakefield (who invented the chocolate chip cookie). He’s the guy who figured out how to make a glorious, crusty loaf of bread without kneading by mixing up a wet dough and leaving it on the countertop overnight, which apparently gives the gluten molecules a chance to align themselves in much the same way kneading does. Of course it could be that someone has done this before him (and I do recall making a similar dill bread in a casserole dish back in the 80s, but it was nowhere as good) but he brought it to the masses, and came up with the method of baking it in a heavy, heated pot, which traps the steam and creates an ideal crust without need for a steam-injected oven. Word on the ‘net is that his bread recipe was the most emailed story at the New York Times a few Novembers ago.
Since then a lot of people have run with the concept – there are no-knead bread cookbooks, and no-knead bread mixes, if you can believe that (then again it’s no sillier than pancake mix, which is what? flour, baking powder and salt?) and I’ve heard reports that it makes a decent bun and baguette as well, although I’m not sure how that works with baking it in a pot.
Guess what? Turns out you can make pizza dough using the same technique. Huzzah!
I discovered this over a year ago, quite by accident (late night, discovered bowl of no-knead bread dough on counter under mess, turned into pizza) and then promptly forgot. Then today at half an hour to noon, after having already been to BT, picked up a sick niece, and shot two Good Bite videos, my Mom called to say she was on her way over with my aunt and uncle from Ontario, who haven’t been here in decades, for lunch.
My aunt and uncle have an immaculate house. Nary a speck of dust or dish out of place. Mike and I snapped into action like a couple of panicked ninjas, pulling the place into reasonable shape and tossing a pizza into the oven in under half an hour. Fortunately, there was a bowl of no-knead dough on the countertop, ready to go. I spread it with jarred pesto and then sliced the last of the heirloom tomatoes from the Penticton Farmers’ Market, a few slivers of purple onion and a crumble of feta.
And lo – a beautiful, chewy, bulbous pizza crust better even than the regular old from-scratch pizza dough I mix up on a regular basis. And this took maybe a minute of actual work.
PHEW.
And if you want to be a superhero among moms, make stuffed-crust pizza: buy some mozzarella cheese sticks (or just the mozzarella, and cut it into sticks yourself) and run it around the edge of your pizza dough, then roll the edge over the cheese and pinch it to seal. As it bakes the cheese will melt, and everyone will think you’re a genius. Not only that – your kitchen won’t be all floury from your wonderfully chewy homemade dough, because you didn’t bother to knead it.
No-Knead Pizza Dough
Thanks for the no-knead bread to Jim Lahey at the Sullivan Street Bakery in Manhattan.
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (or use whole wheat, or half and half)
1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (instant or regular)
1 tsp. saltIn a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.
After that time the surface of the dough will be dotted with bubbles. Generously flour a work surface and scrape the mixture out onto it, gently folding it over itself once or twice, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. Spread it out with your fingertips until it’s a rough oval or rectangle (you may need to sprinkle the top with a little flour too, to keep it from sticking to your fingers), and set it aside while you get your toppings together and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread the crust with tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto or anything else you’d like to sauce it with, then top with your choice of toppings and grated cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
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