Recipe: Sausage and Mushroom Pizza on a Cracker-Thin Crust

SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM PIZZA
ON A CRACKER-THIN CRUST
"A crispy crust - yes, it CAN be done at home!"



FOR THE PIZZA CRUST:
1 to 1 1/4 cups bread flour
3/4 cup cake flour (see directions at end of recipe to make your own)
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast OR RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
Cornmeal

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 to 3/4 cup pizza sauce
4 to 6 ounces cooked and crumbled sausage
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For best results, you will also need:
Pizza stone
Bench knife OR wide spatula
Heavy rolling pin
Exhaust fan over oven

TO PREPARE THE PIZZA DOUGH:
Combine 1 cup bread flour, cake flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup very warm water water and mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Add additional flour, if needed, to form a soft dough.

Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Place dough back in mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours.

Place a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack. Preheat oven to 550 degrees F, or as high as your oven setting allows. If your oven has a convection setting, this is a good time to use it.

TO SHAPE THE PIZZA CRUSTS:
Punch dough down. Divide into 8 equal pieces; keep covered.

Roll each piece into a very thin (1/16-inch) circle on a floured surface. The shape doesn't have to be perfect! To achieve a very thin crust, try these tips: roll dough until very thin. Now, carefully pick up the thin dough and turn it over - roll again. Use a bench knife to help you get the dough off the surface for turning. Use as much flour as needed to make sure the dough is not sticky. Frequently flour rolling pin. Once the dough is rolled as thin as possible, it is ready to be baked.

Place crust on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel, flat baking sheet or the back side of a jelly roll pan or pizza pan. Make sure that the crust moves freely (doesn't stick to the pan). If it is sticking to the pan, gently lift dough and add a little more cornmeal. Use a fork to "dock" or make lots of little holes in the crust, about 1/2-inch apart. This prevents the crust from puffing up during baking.

TO BAKE THE PIZZA CRUSTS:
Slide the crust off the pizza peel or baking sheet onto the preheated stone in the oven. Use a long-handled spatula to help transfer the crust if needed. Close the oven door as quickly as possible to keep the oven hot. Bake 2 to 5 minutes or until crust has browned patches.

When done, remove crust from the oven with a spatula and place on wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough portions.

TO TOP THE PIZZAS:
Use a minimal amount of topping to keep the crust crisp and for ease in handling. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on each crust. Top with sausage and mushrooms and sprinkle with cheese.

Return to oven for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Most stones will accommodate baking 2 pizzas at once. Remove finished pizza from oven to cutting board. Cut into pieces and serve.

TIP: Allow the oven to cool before removing the pizza stone and follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning. Excess cornmeal tends to burn so be sure and use your exhaust fan.

*If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.

**To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you. Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of the dough.

HOW TO MAKE CAKE FLOUR:
Place 1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch in a 3/4 cup dry measuring cup. Fill remainder of cup with all-purpose flour. That's it!

TO FREEZE AHEAD:
Pizza crusts can be made and baked, but do not add toppings. Place cooled crusts in resealable plastic freezer bags OR wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze up to 1 month. To use, thaw at room temperature. Add toppings and bake 2 to 3 minutes in a preheated 550 degree F oven on a pizza stone.

Makes 8 (6 to 8-inch) pizzas
Source: Fleishmann's Yeast