Pesto, Heirloom Tomato, Purple Onion & Feta Pizza with No-Knead Dough
Jim Lahey was a genius. A revolutionary – right up there with Edison and Bell, and Arthur Fry (who invented the Post-It – why didn’t I think of that?) and Ruth Wakefield (who invented the chocolate chip cookie). He’s the guy who figured out how to make a glorious, crusty loaf of bread without kneading by mixing up a wet dough and leaving it on the countertop overnight, which apparently gives the gluten molecules a chance to align themselves in much the same way kneading does. Of course it could be that someone has done this before him (and I do recall making a similar dill bread in a casserole dish back in the 80s, but it was nowhere as good) but he brought it to the masses, and came up with the method of baking it in a heavy, heated pot, which traps the steam and creates an ideal crust without need for a steam-injected oven. Word on the ‘net is that his bread recipe was the most emailed story at the New York Times a few Novembers ago.
Since then a lot of people have run with the concept – there are no-knead bread cookbooks, and no-knead bread mixes, if you can believe that (then again it’s no sillier than pancake mix, which is what? flour, baking powder and salt?) and I’ve heard reports that it makes a decent bun and baguette as well, although I’m not sure how that works with baking it in a pot.
Guess what? Turns out you can make pizza dough using the same technique. Huzzah!
I discovered this over a year ago, quite by accident (late night, discovered bowl of no-knead bread dough on counter under mess, turned into pizza) and then promptly forgot. Then today at half an hour to noon, after having already been to BT, picked up a sick niece, and shot two Good Bite videos, my Mom called to say she was on her way over with my aunt and uncle from Ontario, who haven’t been here in decades, for lunch.
My aunt and uncle have an immaculate house. Nary a speck of dust or dish out of place. Mike and I snapped into action like a couple of panicked ninjas, pulling the place into reasonable shape and tossing a pizza into the oven in under half an hour. Fortunately, there was a bowl of no-knead dough on the countertop, ready to go. I spread it with jarred pesto and then sliced the last of the heirloom tomatoes from the Penticton Farmers’ Market, a few slivers of purple onion and a crumble of feta.
And lo – a beautiful, chewy, bulbous pizza crust better even than the regular old from-scratch pizza dough I mix up on a regular basis. And this took maybe a minute of actual work.
PHEW.
And if you want to be a superhero among moms, make stuffed-crust pizza: buy some mozzarella cheese sticks (or just the mozzarella, and cut it into sticks yourself) and run it around the edge of your pizza dough, then roll the edge over the cheese and pinch it to seal. As it bakes the cheese will melt, and everyone will think you’re a genius. Not only that – your kitchen won’t be all floury from your wonderfully chewy homemade dough, because you didn’t bother to knead it.
No-Knead Pizza Dough
AuthorJulie
In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.
After that time the surface of the dough will be dotted with bubbles. Generously flour a work surface and scrape the mixture out onto it, gently folding it over itself once or twice, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. Spread it out with your fingertips until it's a rough oval or rectangle (you may need to sprinkle the top with a little flour too, to keep it from sticking to your fingers), and set it aside while you get your toppings together and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread the crust with tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto or anything else you'd like to sauce it with, then top with your choice of toppings and grated cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.
After that time the surface of the dough will be dotted with bubbles. Generously flour a work surface and scrape the mixture out onto it, gently folding it over itself once or twice, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. Spread it out with your fingertips until it's a rough oval or rectangle (you may need to sprinkle the top with a little flour too, to keep it from sticking to your fingers), and set it aside while you get your toppings together and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread the crust with tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto or anything else you'd like to sauce it with, then top with your choice of toppings and grated cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
One Year Ago: Crispy Spaghetti & Meatballs and Zucchini Brownies
Only one word…yum, xv
What a beautiful pizza. I wasn’t wild about Jim Laey’s recipe when I made it, but this idea makes me want to reconsider.
Thank you – I wondered how to turn the no-knead bread into pizza dough. It’s what we’re having for dinner tomorrow! Can’t wait!!
Can’t wait to try this out. With out the super tidy realies coming to visit. I have more than a few sets of them.
Jen
Hmmm I have relatives coming this weekend…..
Pizza it is for today! I’ve found that using salsa (mild to medium) as a base sauce really takes it up a notch…maybe not everyone’s bag but I sure like it.
mmmmmmmmmm…love your choice of toppings! Must try that!
Thanks, getting pizza dough just right is a trick for sure. I am making calzones to freeze with the ends of the season harvest and am thrilled at the prospect of flour not being on every surface in the kitchen..
Why am I so scared of Yeast and bread dough??????. I have tried once and it was a bag we received from Michael Smith at Xmas in November supposed to be full proof welllll mine didn’t turn out. Gotta get over this and try again. Pizza looks do delish.
JUST DO IT. You can blame me if it doesn’t turn out!
Funny you should mention Michael – I talked to him today about his Twitter fiasco – someone was impersonating him and saying horrible things. He’s officially on Twitter now – @chefMICHAELsmth! @chef_at_home IS NOT HIM!
Hmmm, what happens if you use a rolling pin to spread the dough out, not your fingers? Will it de-air-ify?
I ask because mom-in-law bought us a BEAUTIFUL rolling pin I’ve yet to use…
Why not? However you want to get it into the shape you want, works!
Julie, you do amazing things. We all work best under pressure, but then you find time to write about it! In case another aunt comes for lunch, or when W brings home a horde here’s the pizza dough that saved my life more than once:
CRISPY BISCUIT PIZZA CRUST (for 2 crusts)
4 cups flour (use some whole wheat)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup margarine, shortening or a mixture
1 1/8 cups milk
Combine dry ingredients,cut in shortening, add milk, stirring with a fork, just til it forms a ball. Divide in half, knead just until smooth and roll out. Place on pizza pan and press to fit. Partially bake for 9 minutes at 425F while you prep the toppings and bake another 20.
Make ahead (if that ever happens), partially bake and freeze.
Have you not seen/tried the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day?
You don’t even have to leave it out overnight! You make the wet dough (a zillion different kinds in the book, incl pizza), let it sit for a couple hours, then use it and/or stick it in the fridge where it keeps for TWO WEEKS and you rip off a hunk whenever you want and let it come back to room temp and chuck it in the oven. You get that amazing crust and it’s SO easy. I never buy bread anymore.
I’ve seen the book, but don’t have it/haven’t read it. I’ll have to pick up a copy!
yummy!! looks so delicious!!
AH! This looks so fantastic. I am such a desperate pizza fan…embarressing…but this looks absolutely incredible. Yum. Might finally be up for making my own dough.
Thanks Julie for this recipe. I made it today to many raves from my hubby, 3 yr old and my 1 yr old gobbled it up. It was also so beautiful that I had to take pictures. I’ll be making this again!
i replaced water with warm milk no knead bread delicious!
Wow, I just tried this and it was so good! I was wondering, though – do you think the dough would freeze well? I’d love to keep some of this in the freezer for those rare occasions that I decide on a whim that I’d like some pizza, and don’t necessarily have 18-24 hours to let it rest.
In my experience, all pizza dough freezes very well!
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