Corn Masa Crust

As avid Latin American food-eaters (we seek out the best Mexican taco trucks in whatever city we visit), we were pretty excited to run across a corn masa pizza crust recipe in our newly acquired "Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day" cookbook.

Corn masa is the flour used to make tortillas, tamales, arepas, etc. — it's the staple ingredient for all sorts of our favorite foods. In this pizza dough, the masa adds a slight corn flavor and denser texture that is perfect for topping with beans, seasoned meats, and a sprinkle of queso fresco.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup lukewarm water (100 degrees F or less)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons neutral-flavored oil
• 1/2 cup corn masa flour (also called masa harina)
• 1 and 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the masa flour, all-purpose flour and salt.
3. Once the yeast is proofed (aka frothy), stir in the oil and mix in the dry ingredients without kneading the dough. This can be done in a food processor with a dough attachment, a heavy duty stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a wooden spoon. It may help to wet your hands and mix in the last bits of flour manually.
4. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, until the dough rises and collapses (aka flattens on the top).
5. The dough can be used right away after that initial rise, but it may be easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded, but not airtight, container and use within 10 days or divide it into two balls and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before use.
6. When you're ready to make pizza, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven for preheating. If using a baking sheet, lightly flour it (but don’t preheat). 
7. On a well-floured surface, roll out one ball of dough until it is approximately the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet. 
8. Par-bake the crust until barely brown and rigid, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove the crust from the oven and let rest on wire racks to avoid sogginess. Top with your favorite toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minute (depending on toppings), until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

Recipe yields 2 crusts.

This crust is vegan and I suspect would be pretty easy to make gluten-free by subbing out the all-purpose flour with your favorite blend.

Simple Crust

We know that nothing quite compares to our very best pizza crust ever recipe, but ML was interested in trying out a simpler, egg- and dairy-free recipe. He is the resident pizza crust expert after all, responsible for all of the kneading and stretching and rolling out into a nearly circular shape. He has good dough instincts. This simple New York-style crust has a denser, dryer texture than our original recipe — less like bread, more like a cracker. We always make it with part whole wheat flour, which may contribute to the denseness, but also makes it healthier.

The bread/cracker distinction would be a helpful guideline in deciding which crust to use for which toppings. If you would prefer to eat the toppings in question on a slice of bread, then go with the very best pizza crust ever recipe, but if you'd just as soon pile the toppings on a cracker, this is the recipe for you. Vegans, of course, will want to use this recipe, as would anyone with egg or dairy allergies. I suspect it could even be adapted for a gluten-free diet without too much finagling.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups whole wheat bread flour
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups regular bread flour, plus more for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in lukewarm water. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. 
2. In another small bowl, combine cold water, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt and olive oil to dissolve the sugar and salt.
3. Mix together the two types of flour in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast and cold water mixture, mixing to incorporate as much of the flour as possible.
4. Knead the dough for 10 to 12 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until soft and elastic. 
5. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise in a warm location. Let rise until the dough has doubled in volume, about one hour. 
6. Punch down dough. Separate it in thirds and reshape into balls. Cover again with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 
7. During the second rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven for preheating. If using a baking sheet, lightly flour it (but don’t preheat). 
8. On a well-floured surface, roll out one ball of dough until it is approximately the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet. 
9. Prick the surface all over with a fork to prevent bubbling in the oven.
10. Par-bake the crust until barely brown and rigid, about 3 minutes.
11. Remove the crust from the oven and let rest on wire racks to avoid sogginess. Top with your favorite toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minute (depending on toppings), until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

Recipe yields three crusts. Dough can be made in advance (through step 6) and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Whole Wheat Crust

This recipe is basically identical to our very best pizza crust ever recipe, except that we substitute whole wheat bread flour to make it a little healthier and a little heartier. We recommend whole wheat bread flour if you can find it, but regular whole wheat flour will also work. I love the dense, earthy flavor of this crust and think it goes particularly well with vegetable-focused toppings.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour 
• 2 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together the two types of flour in a large bowl.
2. In another large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. 
3. Stir in remaining sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until smooth. 
4. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise in a warm location. Let rise until the dough has doubled in volume, about one hour. 
5. Punch down dough. Separate it in half and reshape into balls. Cover again with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 
6. During the second rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven for preheating. If using a baking sheet, lightly flour it (but don’t preheat). 
7. On a well-floured surface, roll out one ball of dough until it is approximately the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet. 
8. Prick the surface all over with a fork to prevent bubbling in the oven.
9. Par-bake the crust until barely brown and rigid, about 3 minutes.
10. Remove the crust from the oven and let rest on wire racks to avoid sogginess. Top with your favorite toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minute (depending on toppings), until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

Recipe yields two crusts. Dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Very Best Pizza Crust Ever

You'll never need another pizza crust recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4.5 cups bread flour (the more protein-rich the flour, the better)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in remaining sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until smooth. 
3. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise in a warm location. Let rise until the dough has doubled in volume, about one hour. 
4. Punch down dough. Separate it in thirds and reshape into balls. Cover again with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
5. During the second rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven for preheating. If using a baking sheet, lightly flour it (but don’t preheat).
6. On a well-floured surface, roll out one ball of dough until it is approximately the size of your pizza stone or baking sheet.
7. Par-bake the crust until barely brown and rigid, about 3 minutes.
8. Remove the crust from the oven and let rest on wire racks to avoid sogginess. Top with your favorite toppings and return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minute (depending on toppings), until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

Recipe yields three crusts. Dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month. 

Enjoy!