How do I slow a pizza's rising before baking?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Bread.com FAQ : One Thread

I'll be making a pizza and taking it to a friend's place to be baked for lunch. I've done this before, and by the time I got there (about 15-25 minutes away) the dough had risen quite a bit, and by the time it was baked, it was more like a loaf of bread with the topping perched precariously on top!

Is there a way I can slow its rising? I thought about refrigerating the constructed pizza for about an hour before we leave. Or else parbaking the base, then putting the topping on. Any tips of length of time, etc, if these options are the correct approach?

I am using a bread mix in a bread making machine. I know this is not the most suitable for a pizza, but I don't want to risk experimenting with a new recipe and having it flop on this occasion.

Any advice will be appreciated!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Answers

The way I overcome puffy crust is to use less yeast and knead it as short a time as possible. You should try a more simple dough though (flour, water, oil, sugar, salt & a little yeast) that will make more of a crust than a loaf. Try adding crushed crackers in your dough. Club crackers work very well and they don't rise much. Don't forget the salt or your pizza will tast very dull.

Best of luck, Ryan-

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001


Moderation questions? read the FAQ