Long Rise Pizza

This week was the first full week of summer break and now that I have all this extra time, why not make long rise pizza dough? When I first made this dough, I didn't anticipate how long it would actually take. I started mixing it together about 4 in the afternoon, but the pizza wasn't ready until around 10 that night! Late night pizza is a great summer meal for us night-owls because we can stay up late and sleep in. However, if you're a morning bird, I would suggest starting the pizza dough in the morning. That way, it will be ready by dinner time. Either way, this dough is just as easy as any other pizza dough, but richer. The great flavor comes from the sponge and the long rising time.

Sponge:
¼ cup warm water
1 tbsp quick rise, or one ¼ oz. package active dry yeast
¼ cup all purpose or bread flour.

Dough:
1¾ cup warm water
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
4¾ to 5¾ cups all purpose or bread flour

Pizza:
Dough
Desired Sauce and Toppings
Cornmeal

To make the sponge:
Combine the ¼ cup warm water, yeast, and ¼ cup flour in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. The more time the sponge has to sit, the more flavor there will be in the dough.

To make the dough:
Add the water to the sponge and stir with a whisk until the sponge is completely broken up and dissolved into the water. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and stir to blend. Add the salt and stir until it dissolves.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until 4¾ cups have been added. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
**If the dough is too sticky to work with, add a little more flour. However, be careful never to add too much flour to the dough. Too much flour will create a dense and tough rather than a light and fluffy crust. It's better that the dough be a little on the sticky side rather than on the dry side**

Once the dough is smooth, shape it into a ball. Add the two teaspoons of olive oil to a LARGE bowl and put the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat completely with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for 5-8 hours.
**yep, 5-8 hours. During that time, the dough will almost triple in size and develop the rest of its rich flavor!**

5-8 hours later, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Punch down the dough and turn it onto a LIGHTLY floured work surface. Divide the dough into halves or thirds, depending on how thick/thin you like your crust or how big you are making your pizza. Shape each portion into a disk and cover with a damp towel while you prepare your sauce and toppings.
**From here, you can wrap the dough in a plastic bag and freeze it. Remember to remove dough from the freezer about 45 minutes before using it**

Coat your pizza pan with a thin layer of cornmeal. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the pan. Place your dough disk in the middle of your pizza pan and spread it out using your fingers, do not roll with a rolling pin. On the edges, pull about an inch or two of dough over the edge and roll it over itself, creating the rolled outer border. Poke small holes in the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing while it's baking. Bake your pizza until the crust is almost done, 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough.
Take out of the oven, add your desired sauce and toppings and return to the oven until the cheese has melted.

Recipe based off of "Long Rise Pizza Dough" from The Doughmakers Cookbook by Bette Laplante and Diane Cuvelier.