California Artisan Pizza with Three Toppings Combinations
You will think you are eating a California Artisan Pizza on the Left Coast. So delicious. Top your amazing crust with whatever you crave. This pizza requires three rises for the dough. The longest time for this recipe is simply letting the dough rise. Plan 8 hours for this recipe. The dough makes 2 pizzas.
When it bubbles, put 3 cups of flour into a separate bowl.
Make a well in the flour and pour the yeast water and olive oil into the well.
Stir with a fork or pastry scraper until it comes together and it seems kind of sticky.
Pour the remaining flour onto a countertop or flat surface.
Dump the sticky mixture onto the floured surface.
Knead it until it is elastic and shiny, about 10 minutes.
Wash the bowl and then coat the bowl with olive oil and put the dough in it.
Turn the dough over to coat it with oil.
FIRST RISE: Cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for an hour or hour and a half, until it doubles in size.
SECOND RISE: Punch it down and repeat this rising phase until doubled again.
Heat the oven to 425F degrees and heat the pizza stone while you are assembling your pizza. (Ingredients above for 3 options).
THIRD RISE: Punch the dough down and divide the dough in half.
Roll the dough on a floured surface to a size that fits your pizza stone.
Use the rolling pin to roll the dough onto your rolling pin and then transfer it to a pizza paddle coated with cornmeal.
Add whatever toppings you want, and then transfer the pizza to the hot pizza stone.
Pizza Toppings Instructions
Brush the top of the pizza dough with olive oil.
Then top with all the other chosen toppings.
If you are using Asiago Cheese or Ricotta Salata, it will melt best if you put the cheese on before the other ingredients.
Mozzarella and Provolone can be added to the top of the pizza.
Basil, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts should be added after you pull the pizza out of the oven. If you try to bake them, they will turn black and be unappealing to eat.
Bake at 425F degrees 25-30 minutes or until the crust is nice and brown.