Recipe: Pizza (using baking stone)

Pizza
rec.food.cooking/Steve Hammond (1993)
Makes: one 14x15-inch thick pizza

These are the instructions that came with my baking stone:

1 pkg dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 F to 115F)
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups high gluten flour (all purpose or bread flour can be used)
3 Tbs olive oil

In a bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt and 2 cups flour to make a thick batter. Blend for 30 seconds. Add olive oil and continue beating for an additional half minute to blend in the oil. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it does not (too sticky), add some sprinkles of flour. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion until smooth and elastic. Add sprinkles of flour if too sticky. Knead about 10 minutes (don't skimp on kneading!)

Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic rap and set aside to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Uncover bowl and punch down the risen dough. Knead briefly to flatten. Recover and let rise again for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475F or more.

After dough has risen, place on lightly floured work surface. With hands flatten the dough and push into a rectangle. Let the dough rest for a few minutes so that it will not draw back. Roll into a rectangle slightly larger that the size of the stone (it will shrink). All the dough to relax before lifting and placing on the peel which has *already* been generously sprinkled with cornmeal.

Brush dough olive oil with olive oil. Add your favorite toppings.

With pizza on peel reach to the back of the stone and place the edge of the peel at an upward angle and with a quick, short, back and forth jerking motion withdraw the peel from underneath the pizza.

Bake pizza for at least 15 minutes or until done to your liking.

Remove pizza by sliding peel underneath and place on wire rack to cool before cutting. Brush all exposed edges of dough with olive oil and sprinkle parmesan grated cheese on top.