Mama Mia That's Some Damn Good Pizza

As a native New Yorker, I have been chasing the pizza holy grail a long time. Finally, I think I have unlocked the combination to quality pizza at home. First, let's get the dough out the way. Cooks Illustrated has nailed it with a "secret ingredient;" cake flour. The cake flour gives the crust the right amount of chew when cooked at high (500F) temperatures. I use a pizza stone and pizza peel to manage the process.

Here is the recipe for the dough:

1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup water (8 ounces), room temperature
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces), plus extra for dusting work surface and peel
1 cup cake flour (4 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons sugar

Now for the toppings - of course because we live in barbecue country, I have tried the grilled pizza thing a hundred times - forget about it. I've seen enough burnt crust and uncooked toppings to last me a life time. Tonight I had an inspiration - forget about grilling the pizza, grill the toppings!

Check this out, I had some fresh mozzarella and you know what happens when you put that on pizza - the water works. So, I took a foil pouch of wood chips, sliced the mozzarella and placed it on some foil, greased with olive oil. My idea was to slightly smoke the cheese and drive the water out of it at the same time -it worked. Since the grill was hot, why not throw some tomato and Vidalia onion slices on too - brilliant! As far as the toppings go - let your imagination run, that's the fun.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set pizza stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. In liquid measuring cup, whisk yeast into water to dissolve. Mix the flours, salt, and sugar until combined. Slowly add liquid; continue to process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of work bowl. Divide dough in half and shape into smooth, tight balls. Place on floured counter or baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

When dough balls have doubled in size, dust dough liberally with flour and transfer balls to well-floured work surface. I use a rolling pin to from a 12-inch circle. Lightly flour pizza peel; lift edges of dough round to brush off any excess flour, then transfer dough to peel. Spread thin layer of tomato topping (about 1/2 cup) over dough with rubber spatula, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Slide onto stone and bake until crust begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pizza from oven with peel, close oven door, and top pizza with half of cheese chunks, spaced evenly apart. Return pizza to stone and continue cooking until cheese is just melted, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to cutting board; sprinkle with half of remaining basil, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and pinch salt. Slice and serve immediately. Repeat steps above to shape, top, and bake second pizza.