Cook Along with Chef Deniz: Traditional Margherita Pizza With Fresh Burrata

Traditional Margherita Pizza With Fresh Burrata, Basil And Parmesan

Yields: Personal Pizzas for 2 - 200g dough balls, Sauce for 2 x 10" Pizza, 2 x 250g Burrata balls.

Ingredients:

• The Dough:
• 1 kg Italian style ‘’00" flour 650 ml water, 80F 15 ml of dry/instant dry yeast, or 20 ml fresh yeast 25 ml kosher salt
• The Sauce
• 1 can 28oz of san marzano tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• The Burrata
• 1lbs fresh mozzarella curds
• 30ml salt
• 1lt water
• The Filling
• 125ml burrata curds from above
• 50ml cream
• 40ml whey, burrata stretching water
• 15ml ricotta
• 5ml melted butter
• The Pizza
• 2 balls of pre-made pizza dough
• 200 ml pizza sauce
• 250 ml fresh basil leaves
• 2 balls of burrata from the recipe above
• 100 g of grated Parmesan reggiano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pizza stone

Instructions:

1. The Dough:

• Mix the dough in a stand mixer, or by hand in a large bowl. Let it rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Divide the dough into 8, and shape them into tight balls. Cover and refrigerate minimum 1 day up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Pull out 1 hour before using.

• Combine everything in a food processor. Adjust salt and sugar according to the taste of canned tomatoes.

• Dice up your curds to 1.5" chunks if inconsistent in size. Bring the water to a rolling boil, add salt. Pour the water over the curds and let it temper for 3 minutes. Prepare an ice bath in another bowl. The liquid will be very hot, a double coat of plastic gloves are recommended.
• Very carefully and gently bring the curds in the hot water together, they should feel soft. Knead the curds keeping them hot by folding the curd on itself rather than too much squeezing, be very gentle. If your hands get too hot, dip them in the nice water for 10 seconds and then keep kneading.Once the curds are unified, smooth and pliable, cut 1/3 off the curd ball and transfer into the ice bath. Cut the remaining burrata in half and stretch into a 6" diameter flat round disk. Set aside.

• Combine everything in a metal bowl. It should be a creamy mixture, add small splashes of heavy cream if necessary. Add 60ml of this mixture onto the burrata skin, lift around the edges and create a bundle. Sit in a small bowl to keep shape or tie with a butcher’s twine.

• Heat your oven to 500F with a pizza stone. Stretch the dough uniformly to 12" leaving 1/3" ring around the edges, do not flatten the edges, just pinch the ring all around prior to stretching. Once full size transfer onto a parchment paper that has been dusted with flour or cornmeal.
• Spread 100 ml of tomato sauce, and tear 75 g burrata on your dough. Carefully lift up with edges of parchment and transfer onto the stone. Switch your oven to broiler. Cook for 5 minutes or until the dough is cooked through. Once out, dress with extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
• If you want the charred effect of a wood burning oven, you can run a blow torch around the pizza’s ring.
• Serve.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes, Dough should rise 2-3 hours, then refrigerate for 1-5 days, pull out 1 hour prior to using.

Cook time: 15 Minutes