Pizza is such a passed-around recipe that it is known worldwide. There have been various versions of it and one of the most famous types is the New York-Style Pizza.
As for every pizza, it always starts with the dough so here is the best New York-Style Pizza Dough Recipe that we can share with you.
Before we discuss how to make the dough, let us talk about a little history and what differentiates the New York-Style Pizza from others.
Pizza has been known as a delicacy that everybody likes but little does most of us know that it was food for low-class people during the start of its production.
Now, we all love it and it seems like we cannot get enough of it. Since everyone eats it, we can be sure that the world and different countries have adapted their own style.
Pizza is a very versatile food and you can choose whatever you want to put in it. The sauce, toppings, type of cheese, and more.
But what remains is the dough. You can hardly change the recipe and if you do, it would usually not taste like that amazing Neapolitan-style Pizza.
However, the New Yorkers figured out a way to make their pizza doughs adjust with their palate without truly ruining the essence of having an authentic, crispy crust on their pizzas.
A New York-style Pizza Dough is a little thicker than the usual Neapolitan-style pizza but it still packs that crispiness because of a simple ingredient that is added to their dough.
That is olive oil. This totally makes the outer part of the crust crispy while keeping the inside of the crust tender and chewable.
There are also a lot of factors that differentiate a New York-style Pizza dough from other pizzas. But first, let us give you some tips on how to make a great New York-style pizza dough.
Tip 1. Choose the right kind of flour
You will notice that most of the recipes that you will find online or from other sources that the flour used in New York-style pizza doughs is an All-Purpose flour.
While an All-Purpose flour works just fine, it does not truly give you the freedom to stretch the pizza, and instead, the dough breaks down easily.
An All-Purpose flour does not have enough gluten for the dough that you are aiming for. This means that the pizza dough will likely crumble instead of stretching.
See, gluten is an important part of the dough that holds it together. It prevents the air from fermentation from escaping the dough.
It is also one of the most beneficial ingredients of dough since it is the main source of protein as well as the stretchy part of the flour.
With more gluten, you will have a better experience in kneading the pizza dough. It is broken down by the yeast so you have more freedom to stretch the dough without making too many holes.
Tip 2. The Yeast
To be honest with you, you can use almost all types of yeast in making your New York-style pizza dough. You just need the knowledge on how to handle each variety properly.
For example, active dry yeast can be activated by water so you need to let it sit and dissolve in water for a while before adding it to the mix.
It goes differently with instant dry yeast. You need to avoid putting it directly in cold water since it is subject to shock so you might want to add the yeast to the flour first before adding water.
You can also use compressed yeast to add more flavor to your pizza dough. Sourdough starters are also applicable if you want a stronger flavor to the dough.
However, if you want to keep your recipe and use the same yeast that you use, you can continue doing that and the flavor will develop in time.
Also, always remember to use just the right amount of yeast. This may be only a personal preference but most doughs with too much yeast end up tasting bad or being tasteless at all.
Tip 3. Refrigerate or Freeze
If you want to make pizzas for the whole week, making dough in one sitting is possible. A large quantity does not matter as long as you preserve it the right way.
If you want your dough to last for at least three days, you can refrigerate it and slow the fermentation down.
Putting your pizza dough in the freezer will also keep your dough fresh for a longer time and can sometimes be used for at least 5 days and up to a week.
When you freeze your pizza dough and are planning to cook one for the next day, you can chop off one part and refrigerate it so you would not have a hard time cutting and defrosting a frozen dough.
Tip 4. Flour your dough
If you want to knead your dough right away or even after refrigerating, make sure that you put enough flour on your dough and on the surface to prevent it from sticking.
Do not worry about the consistency as a sprinkle of flour will not damage the quality of your pizza dough. It will only prevent it from sticking to our pizza peel or your counter.
Some home cooks prefer using more oil to do this but if your dough is hydrated enough and you do not want more moisture, then additional flour is the best option.
Tip 5. Learn how to stretch the dough
You can use your hand alone in stretching your pizza dough into shape. A rolling pin can be avoided to prevent flattening out your pizza rim.
You can start off by using the bottom of your palm to spread the ball and then use your fingers to adjust the size one you have spread the dough large enough to soften a little bit.
Shape your pizza well and make sure that there are no tears and take a look if you have uneven surfaces and thin areas.
Lift the pizza dough and put it against a light to see the whole dough properly and see the thin and thick areas. Continue kneading until you have the right, even surface that you want.
Keep those tips in mind and use it regularly so you can practice your skills in making the perfect dough. Time will be your only enemy here so keep on practicing.
So, here is a step-by-step guide on the best New York-style pizza dough Recipe that we have:
Ingredients
1. 4 and a half cups of high-gluten bread flour or all-purpose flour (this is a matter of preference so if you are more comfortable with all-purpose flour, then you can use that).
2. A half teaspoon of active dry yeast.
3. One and a half cups of warm water
4. 2 and a half teaspoons of sugar
5. One tablespoon of Olive oil.
Procedure
First. Set the yeast in warm water in a bowl and then wait for at least five minutes. You can also leave it for longer and then proceed once the yeast starts to activate.
You need to let it sit in the water until it dissolves, once it has, make sure that you keep an eye on it and when it starts to bubble up, get to the next step which is…
Second. Add the flour and other ingredients into the bowl and mix them until you have a consistent mixture and the dough is all wet but not too sticky.
Third. Put a wet cloth over the bowl and make sure that all the edges are covered. This will allow the dough to hydrate and develop while making the starches hydrate as well.
This process is called autolyze and it allows the ingredients to have a proper rest and create special processing before you knead the dough.
Fourth. As you may have already known, this next process is kneading. Kneading is a crucial step in making a perfect dough and is used in any baking process that involves flour and water.
Kneading is usually (and often the best) done by hand. It activates the glutens in the flour thus providing the stretchy quality of the dough.
Continue kneading for at least 5 minutes or until the dough is firm enough. You can test the quality of the dough by pressing down a finger on it.
If the dough does not rip all the way, then it is good. When you can still push your finger down and create a hole through the dough and onto the table, then it needs more kneading.
Fifth. Put the dough back in the bowl and place it in a warm area or at least in an area with room temperature and let it rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Sixth. Get the dough and once again, knead it with your hand by using rough force. Punch it down if need be and knead it for another 5 minutes and let it rise again.
Repeat this process once more and then remove a chunk that is enough for you to cook one pizza with and set it aside.
A 16-inch pizza usually takes a little over 500 grams of dough to make so set that aside and then proceed to the next step.
Seventh. Shape the chunk of dough and the bigger dough into a ball to prevent the air from escaping and then place them in two separate bowls.
Put the bigger dough in the freezer if you want to store it for use later in the week. As for the other dough, just put it on the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.
You can then get this dough the next day to cook an amazing pizza.
Baking the Pizza in a Home Oven
Home ovens do not usually go up to the temperature where an authentic Neapolitan Pizza is required to be cooked in.
What most chefs do is add sugar into the dough so that the crust will be cooked evenly and add up some brown even finish on the crust.
If you did not, that’s fine too. Place the pizza in the middle of your oven or on top and never put it in the bottom of the oven.
Cooking the pizza in a home oven will take a longer time compared to cooking it in a powerful pizza oven so make sure to keep an eye on it.
Since home ovens have an amazing even heat distribution, you would not need to turn the pizza around regularly. That is one upside of using your home oven.
Use a baking stone
When you are cooking pizza, it is best to use a baking stone, the result of cooking a pizza in a baking stone is much better compared to steel or skillets.
Baking stones are porous in nature so it absorbs as much moisture as they can. This means that your pizza crust will be as crispy as it can be.
But since a New York-style pizza dough is well hydrated, it will still have a soft interior which is really great for pizza lovers. The oil will make the outside crispy so you won’t have to worry about that.
Conclusion
Make sure that you choose the right cheese, sauce, and toppings for your pizza. Also, do not overdo it, just put the right amount of sauce and cheese so that the pizza does not get soggy.
New York-style pizzas are really great and they can be easily made. If you bring this recipe to your pizza party, most of your colleagues will be amazed so make sure to master it.
Perfecting this kind of pizza dough will be different from the common pizza dough that is made so keep on cooking and eventually you will get better.
It really does not require too much skill when it comes to making New York-style pizza dough. All you really need is more experience and since you can do this at home, make more pizza as often as you can.
Let us know what you think about this recipe and what would you want to change if ever there is something.
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