New York Breakfast Pizza


Chic Simple: Cooking
Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone,
© 1995 by Chic Simple. A Borzoi Book,
Alfred A. Knopf

Makes four 7-inch pizzas

Bake pizza dough [recipe follows], then top it with a thin layer of
Cream cheese
Smoked Salmon
Fresh chives
Capers

Add a squeeze of lemon and serve.
 

Simple Pizza Dough
1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
Pinch of sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Optional Ingredient
1/2 cup fresh rosemary or 1/4 cup dried

Equipment
Food thermometer needed

1. Place yeast in small bowl. Stir in the water and the sugar. Let stand
for about 10 minutes, then mix.
2. In a large mixing bowl or work bowl of a food processor, combine
flour, cornmeal, rosemary, if desired, and salt. Add yeast and olive oil,
and mix well.
3. Set dough mixture on a work surface dusted with flour. Knead dough vigorously for about 5 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts and
shape into balls.
4. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Transfer dough onto sheet and lightly brush
each ball with olive oil. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and let sit
in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
5. Dough can be frozen at this point, if desired. Place dough balls in plastic freezer bags and freeze. To defrost, let thaw completely at room
temperature before rolling out.
6. Flatten dough ball with heel of hand on lightly floured work surface.
The smaller the dough ball, the easier it is to work. Lift and pinch each
disk from center outward in a circular motion until dough is thin. Don’t
worry about the shape and occasional holes.
7. Place dough on a pizza paddle (a “peel…) that has been liberally
sprinkled with cornmeal.
8. [For other variations of this basic recipe, toppings would be added
at this point.]
9. Slide pizza onto preheated stone that has been just sprinkled with
cornmeal by giving a slight, quick jerking movement forward and
then backward. Or put it on an oiled baking sheet.

Future Time-Saver

Bake pizza dough without topping for about 10 minutes. Let cool. Wrap
with plastic wrap and freeze. It is not necessary to defrost before final
cooking. When ready to cook, add toppings, then cook as directed.

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