In my opinion, the crust is the most important part of a great pizza. The crust should be crisp but not charred. Even if you use the freshest cheese or the most innovative topping a soggy crust can still ruin a pizza experience. How do you achieve a wonderfully crisp crust?
The most important step to an excellent crust is to start the pizza cooking on a very hot surface. Obviously, using a preheated pizza stone would be the best way to achieve this, but perhaps (like me) you don’t own one. I’ve learned that by flipping over my cast iron and preheating it I can achieve the same results.
Another important step to avoiding sogginess is placing the cheese between the sauce and the crust. Even if your pizza stone (or cast iron) is very hot it will take a few minutes for your sauce to begin to crisp. Therefore if you have your sauce directly on you pizza crust the sauce has time to seep into the dough creating a soggy mess. When topping my pizzas I start with sliced cheese, then sauce, grated cheese and lastly my other toppings (salumi, vegetables, etc.)
I decided to smoke my pizzas because I wanted the smokiness and quick cooking imparted by a pizza oven. Though I am unable to safely get my smoker as hot as a pizza oven, it does get much hotter than my standard oven. Also, the smoke flavor in the pizza is much more potent when cooked in a smoker. In this article I will share the smoked version of my favorite pizza.
Pizza Dough:
2 tsp active dry yeast
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 cups 00 flour
1 cup warm water
In a stand mixer bowl combine sugar, water and yeast. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt together.
Using the dough hook attachment turn the stand mixer on to speed 2. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time. Once a dough ball is formed let the mixer knead the dough for 4 minutes on speed 2. Scape the dough onto a floured surface and knead for an additional 8 minutes.
Scrap the dough into a bowl greased with olive oil, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Pizza Diavola:
Sauce:
8oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of dry red wine
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 white onion, small diced
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 sprigs of thyme
Toppings:
1Ib of mozzarella, sliced
3/4 cup spicy salumi, sliced
10 basil leaves
3/4 cup parmesan, grated
Sauce:
In a large sauce pan cook the onions and garlic on low heat until translucent. Using butchers twine tie the rosemary and thyme together. Increase the heat; add the wine, rosemary and thyme to the pan. Let the wine reduce to about 1 tablespoon. Reduce the heat and add the crushed tomatoes. Let the sauce simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the thyme a rosemary. Set aside until needed.
Assemble:
Preheat your smoker to 500F. Place your pizza stone or cast iron into the smoker allowing it to preheat as well.
On a lightly floured surface roll the pizza dough out into a circle small enough to fit comfortably on top of you pizza stone (or turned over cast iron) without any dough spilling over the sides.
Fold the edges of the circle about a 1/2 inch over the circular dough (creating the pizza’s crust).
First, place the slices of mozzarella into the circle so that none of the crust is exposed. Then pour the sauce (room temperature) on top of the mozzarella. Using a rubber spatula spread the sauce around until it evenly coats the cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan on top of the sauce. Lastly, evenly distribute the salumi and basil across the top of the pizza.
Using a pizza spatula transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone (or cast iron inside of the smoker. Let the pizza cool for seven minutes then, using a pizza spatula, turn the pizza and let it cook for an additional 7 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the smoker, slice and enjoy!
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