First thing's first, grab a cocktail. Little bit of Meyer's Dark Rum and Coke. Was between this or a glass of Shiraz and went with the rum and coke.
I made the dough using the recipe I have posted here before many a time.
(This is a double batch as I made a pizza for me and one for my wife. She's just a cheese pizza eater)
2.5 cups warm water
2 T active dry yeast
2 T sugar
2 cups semolina flour
4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
2 T vital wheat gluten
4 T olive oil
Activate the yeast by putting it, the sugar and water in a bowl and whisk until it is dissolved. Do this first and let it set for 7-10 minutes until it is foamy. Mix the flours, gluten, and salt in a bowl. I use a kitchen aid 6 quart mixer with the dough hook. You can do this by hand, but why? If you only have a 5 quart mixer, then you will want to split the recipe in half and do it twice. I have a 5 quart mixer as well and was not able to do a double batch there. Make a cavity in the flour mixture like a volcano. Once the yeast is good and foamy, put the olive oil in the cavity as well as the yeast mixture, turn on the mixer and let it go. I let it mix for about 7 minutes. Occasionally I have to add a few drops of water or a dash of flour to it to either clean flour from the sides or if it was a bit too wet the extra flour will help.
Anyhow, once it is done, I put it on the bread board, cut in half, transfer to an olive oil lined bowl (cover the dough lightly in oil too) and cover with press n seal. I had the dough made and in the bowl covered by 5 PM. Usually, I like to let it rise for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge, but 2 hours is plenty. It's a weeknight and I don't want to eat at 10 PM.
While it is rising, I caramelized a yellow onion. Just sliced thin, cooked in pan with butter, salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne until caramelized. Took about 1 hour.
Pulled pork is thawed and looking damn good.
Got the pork, onions, cheese, dough and BBQ sauce ready to go. Oven is heated to 500 degrees with the stone on the bottom rack heating up. Let's do this.
Dough in the bowl ready to be pounded.
Turned out. Be sure to use a paper towel to get excess olive oil.
Dough pressed out by hand, by tossing and also by using my little pastry roller.
Dough after it was spiked. Keeps bubbles from forming as you know.
Brent's BBQ Sauce - Hot vartiety added.
Next go the caramelized onions.
Pulled pork. Lay it on thick.
Cheese. Just cheddar out of the bag. Last time I did this I used my cold smoked sharp cheddar which was amazing, but cheddar works fine. Here it is on the peel ready to go in the oven.
And we're off!
Couple minutes later.
4 minutes in.
I turn the broiler on High at about 5 minutes. that stone is 500 degrees and cooking from the bottom. Going broiler at this point is similar to what a pizza oven does. I don't want the bottom overcooked while the top is ignored. I like my cheese on the top to be a bit browned. I don't like a gooey cheese. It stays under the broiler for about 4 minutes and it's done.
Final product.
Sliced and ready to eat.
Bon apetit.
The wife's cheese pizza. Boring I know.
Sliced
