Is there any food more universally beloved than pizza? It’s a rhetorical question, but go ahead and think for a second anyway – we’ll wait. Seriously though, what’s not to love about fresh bread, hot tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and the freedom that comes from adding whatever toppings you darn well please? Like, who doesn’t like freedom, right?
Well, here at Old Yale we have a dandy of a recipe to help you get your pizza fix. Note that we used a stand mixer to help make our dough, but a wooden spoon and some elbow grease would work just fine in a pinch.
Ingredients:
1 cup Old Yale Brewing West Coast IPA
1 packet quick-rise yeast (2 ¼ tsp.)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for brushing/greasing
pizza sauce
grated mozzarella
additional toppings
Instructions:
Step 1:
In a container safe to do so, microwave the Old Yale Brewing West Coast IPA in 10-20 second intervals until lukewarm. Combine together with the yeast and sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes, allowing bubbles to form.
Step 2:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, combine together the flour and salt. While set to medium speed, add the olive oil and the beer-yeast mixture. Continue on medium until a ball of dough forms (if the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is workable).
Step 3:
Turn out the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding additional flour whenever the dough gets too sticky.
Step 4:
Grease a medium-sized bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and lightly cover with a clean dish cloth. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5:
Remove the dough back to your floured surface and roll out/stretch into a large rectangle. Transfer your dough to a thick baking sheet lightly greased with olive oil, cover with your dish towel again, and place in a warm, dry place, to rise for an hour. Once the hour is almost up, preheat your oven to 450 oF and prepare whatever toppings you’ve chosen to use.
Step 6:
When the dough is ready, brush the edges of the dough with olive oil. Then, top the pizza with your sauce, grated mozzarella, and anything you’ve chosen to throw on there.
Step 7:
Toss in the oven and bake for around 10-14 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned.
Step 8:
Cut into squares and attempt to share.
Serves 3-4
Recipe by James Seaton, Old Yale Brewing Brand Ambassador
View this and other recipes - at his blog, From James to Jamie.