Ready Time: 5 hrs 55 mins
Preparation Time: 5 hrs 25 mins (Incl. 4-5hrs Rest)
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Serves: 3
When it comes to making the world's best pizza, Australian Pizzaiolo don't usually spring to mind – but one Aussie has changed that. A master of his craft, Melbourne based Johnny Di Francesco took out the number one spot at The 2014 World Pizza Championships in Napoli for best STG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (Specialita' Tradizionale Garantita), pizza in the world.
Johnny is well known amongst Australian food lovers for being one of the best in the pizza business and his passion for Italian cuisine draws from traditional Neapolitan techniques of his family's heritage.
With a sibling restaurant of 400 Gradi soon opening at Crown Casino, Johnny will once again focus on simple, traditional Italian cuisine.
Ingredients
Dough
- 300ml warm water
- ¼ heaped teaspoon dry yeast
- 3 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 500g "00" (strong bakers) flour, sifted
Topping
- 400g can whole
- San Marzano tomatoes
- 150g buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 18 basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
To serve
- Basil leaves
Method
Dough
- Combine water, yeast and salt in a large bowl, stir until dissolved.
- Fold through flour until just combined, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–10 minutes or until a smooth ball forms.
- Place dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm drought free place for 4–5 hours or until dough has double in size (this can take up to 10–12 hours).
- Turn dough out on a floured surface and knock back (punch) the dough to remove excess air, lightly knead.
Note
For a quick dough which is thicker use Basic dough recipe
Tomato sauce
Place tomatoes in a food processor and process until combined.
Cooking the pizza
- Turn the ON/OFF switch to the ON position.
- Preheat Pizza oven on setting PREHEAT for 15 minutes.
- Divide dough into three 220g balls. Roll out one piece of pizza dough to form a 24–26cm disc and place onto a large square of baking paper.
- Prick base with a fork or pizza docker.
- Spread base with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce.
- Divide toppings evenly into three. Top base with mozzarella and basil. Drizzle with oil.
- Select CLASSIC crust setting.
- Transfer pizza and baking paper together onto the pizza stone and close the lid. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Open lid and slide paper out carefully. Close lid and cook for 6–8 minutes.
- Monitor cooking progress through viewing window. Topping should be cooked and golden and base crisp and brown.
- Open lid carefully with oven mitt and remove pizza onto chopping board.
- Garnish with extra basil leaves.
- Cut into wedges and serve immediately.