Fabio's Ultimate Pizza

Fabio shows you foolproof secrets on how to make your own pizza dough at home and then whips up his ultimate Italian pie, so good it will become your ultimate, too!

• Dough 101. Use semolina flour if you want a crunchy texture, or all-purpose flour for a chewier one. IF you toss the dough in the air, be careful or the dough may spread thin and puncture. Tossing the dough is not necessary to make a perfect crust, just work it through with your hands!

• The secret to a perfect crust is that the dough HAS to be cooked starting at room temperature.

• Mistakes to avoid: always add wet toppings the end of the recipe to avoid soggy pizzas. Never use microwave to cook or reheat or it will be a soggy disaster. Never cover a hot pizza with foil or it will steam.

Fabio's ultimate pizza

MY ULTIMATE PIZZA

Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Yield: 1 large pizza

Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 packet (or ¼ oz.) dry active yeast
1 ½ cups water
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups all purpose flour (plus a few pinches for dusting)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

For the topping:
16 oz. can whole plum canned tomatoes
1 large block of Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup buffalo mozzarella (packed in water)
10 oz. deli ham (sliced thin)
10-12 fresh basil leaves
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of coarse sea salt

Method:
In a stand mixer with the hook attachment mix the yeast, water and sugar.

Add the flour in small amounts, mixing well between each addition.

When the dough is mixed well and not too sticky use a little oil to help remove it from the bowl. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cover with a dry towel to let rise for 30 min.

When rested, use the whole amount to make one large pizza.
Use your hands to shape the dough and transfer to a sheet tray to bake.

Top with tomatoes crushed by hand, crumbled cheeses, strips of ham, basil leaves and a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Finish in a 400F oven to bake, until the crust around the edge is golden brown.

MANGIA!

Have a cooking question for Fabio? Leave a comment with your question and Fabio will answer it in an upcoming video!

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