Stuffed Crust Pizza

When you're making your dough, you'll want to make sure first of all that your yeast is good. Put it in a small bowl with the cup of warm (not hot) water and 1 tsp sugar. Stir and let it sit until creamy, about 5-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, add your flour. I usually add about 2.5 cups of flour in there and leave the rest if I need it. Sometimes, doughs can be wet or dry, so this gives more flexibility. 

Mix the remaining sugar and 1 tsp salt in there. Then add the creamy yeast-water and mix it in the bowl with your hands. Tip it out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for another few minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

After the dough has rested, it will be smoother and easier to handle. Knead the dough again for another few minutes and form it into a smooth bowl. 

Add the olive oil to a clean bowl. Place the pizza dough ball in the oiled bowl and make sure to cover it in the oil. Put some plastic wrap over it and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rest in a warm place for about an hour.

Now, the timing to turn on your oven depends on your oven. If your oven is slow, turn it on to the highest temperature immediately when you've set your dough to rise. If your oven is faster, you can turn it up to the highest temperature 30 minutes before the dough will be ready. Note: the kitchen will get hot.

Tip your dough onto a floured surface and cut in half. Roll each gently into a ball then stretch each one into a large round. Note: do not use a rolling pin, as you'll try to keep the bubbles formed during the rise. Use your hand to stretch it out, or grab the top edge and continue to rotate as gravity will help stretch out the dough.

Make the edges of the dough as flat as the center. Take a large piece of baking paper and sprinkle cornmeal on top of the paper. This will help the pizza slide off easily. Place the dough on the baking paper. 

Cut your string cheeses in half and place the pieces on the edge. Roll the dough over and press it firmly around the cheese.

Sprinkle olive oil on the center of the stuffed crust pizza base. Add 3 tbsp of tomato sauce. (Note: I add my cheese on top of the other toppings, although you can add your cheese now.) Add the toppings of your choice. Here, we used jalapenos, slices of salami and chorizo, and seeded, sliced tomatoes. Here, I add the shredded cheese on top. 

Slide the baking paper and pizza into the oven. I use a thin cutting board to slide the paper and pizza onto the pizza stone. Let it cook in the hot oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven by sliding it back onto a cutting board. Repeat steps 7-11 with the second pizza.

Slice and enjoy your fantastic stuffed crust pizza.

Bon appetit!