Woke up craving pizza big time today. Figured I’d try that 00 flour everyone keeps yapping about. Grabbed my bag of Caputo stuff from the pantry – feels real fine, like baby powder. Also pulled out those fancy San Marzano whole tomatoes I’ve been saving. Let’s do this thing.
The Dough Dance
First up: pizza dough. Dumped about 500 grams of that silky 00 flour right into my old mixing bowl. Made a little well in the middle. Heated up some water till it was just warm, not hot – maybe 350ml? Poured that in the well. Sprinkled in a whole packet of active dry yeast, maybe 7 grams? Mixed that yeast water gently with a fork. Let it sit for a few minutes until it looked kinda foamy and alive.
Then came the messy part. Poured in a big glug of olive oil, maybe two tablespoons? Pinched in two fat pinches of salt. Then started mixing with my hands. Oh man, sticky city! Dug in, pulling the flour from the sides into the wet mess. Kneaded it right there in the bowl for what felt like forever – probably 10 solid minutes. Aimed for smooth and springy, not sticky. Ended up adding just a tiny bit more flour when it wouldn’t let go of my fingers. Formed it into a sorta round ball. Wiped out the bowl, slicked it with more oil, and plopped the dough ball back in. Covered the whole shebang tightly with cling film. Parked it in my turned-off oven with just the light on for some warmth. Left it totally alone for a good hour and a half. Magic happened – it doubled in size like a happy balloon!
Tomato Time
While the dough puffed up, tackled the sauce. Drained those beautiful whole San Marzanos over a bowl – saved that juice! Just threw the tomatoes right into a clean bowl. Grabbed my trusty potato masher – honestly, a fork would work too – and went to town. Mashed them up good, leaving some nice chunks because mush is boring. Added about two tablespoons of good olive oil, a teaspoon of dried oregano, a big pinch of salt, and a crack of black pepper. Stirred it all up. Looked a bit thick, so I splashed in maybe 3 tablespoons of that reserved tomato juice. Perfection. Simple, bright, done.
Green Sauce Surprise (Chimichurri!)
Still had time? Why not. Chopped up a fat bunch of parsley and some mint leaves, super fine. Minced two garlic cloves like my life depended on it, until pasty. Threw those greens and garlic into another bowl. Added maybe 1/4 cup of vinegar – used red wine vinegar, whatever was open. Squeezed in the juice from half a lemon. A good glug of olive oil, probably 1/3 cup. Salt, black pepper, maybe a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes for fun? Whisked the heck out of it. Tasted sharp! But weirdly good. Covered that bright green potion and tossed it in the fridge.
Bringing It All Home
Dough was massive now! Punched it down hard – so satisfying. Divided it roughly in two on a floured counter. Gently shaped each into a ball. Covered them with a damp kitchen towel. Let them rest another half hour – patience!
Cranked my oven up as high as it goes – 260°C, pizza stone screaming hot inside. Stretched one dough ball gently into a wonky circle-ish shape. Definitely not round, totally fine. Laid it on my floured peel. Slapped on a good layer of that vibrant red sauce. Shredded mozzarella? Yes please. Other toppings? Nah, keep it pure. Slid it onto the stone. Fingers crossed!
10 minutes later? Crispy base, bubbly cheese, gorgeous leopard spots underneath. Hauled it out smelling incredible. Immediately drizzled that bright green chimichurri right over the top. Brushed off my flour-dusted arms. The Result? Killer combo. The 00 flour dough was crazy light and airy inside, crackly-crust outside. Sauce tasted tomatoey-sweet sunshine. Chimichurri? Sharp vinegar cut through the rich cheese perfectly. Messy kitchen, totally worth it. Try it!
