5-Minute Artisan Bread, Pizza Crust, Rolls, Whatever

This is the recipe I always use for my pizza crust, and just about everything else!

5 Minute Artisan Bread (Boule)

(Jenn) from the book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (Hertzberg/Francios)

3 Cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
3/4 Tbsp. salt
6 1/2 Cups flour

Also needed: baking stone, cooking spray, corn meal, broiling tray, and water

Dissolve yeast in water; add other ingredients and stir (do not knead). Let raise 2 hours. Use immediately or store in covered (not airtight) container in the refrigerator up to 14 days (I actually think it's best if used in the first 2-4 days, but it might be my yeast?).

On baking day: Spray a plate or pizza peel with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle generously with cornmeal (this prevents sticking).  Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour so it’s easier to manage.  Pick up a 1-pound section of dough (size of a grapefruit) and form into a ball by tucking edges into the bottom.  Set on plate and slash dough with three parallel slits (or two criss-cross slits).  Let raise for 20-90 minutes (the longer raise the raise time, the more airy the bread will be; I prefer 20-30, but I experiment a lot).  20 minutes before baking, preheat oven, baking stone, and broiling tray to 450°. Transfer dough to hot stone; add 1 cup tap water to the broiling tray, and close oven door quickly to trap the steam. Bake 25-30 minutes.

This recipe makes 3-4 loaves.

The book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day gives more detailed directions for making this and several other types of bread using the same dough.  I just keep a batch of this dough in my fridge at all times and use it several nights a week to make pizza, calzones, pitas, rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc.  I definitely recommend checking out the book from the library if you like the idea of having easy, hot bread several nights a week.  It has changed my life!

Here are a few hints for variations if you want to try other recipes before you get the book:

Baguettes/buns for sandwiches: Spray your plate with cooking spray and dust with flour (I use whole wheat).  Dust the top of your dough with flour; remove a section of dough and form it into a ball.  Then gently stretch the ball into a tube shape, about 2 inches in diameter.  Brush the dough with water and cut parallel diagonal slits.  Raise for 20-60 minutes.  Bake as directed above, preheating oven/stone/broiling tray and using the steam.  425º for 20-25 minutes.

Rolls: To do this, I just follow the steps above, but I make a bunch of little balls of dough instead of the one big one.  Then I let it raise 20-60 minutes and bake 15-20 minutes.

Focaccia: I do this on a cookie sheet rather than a stone.  Pull out a ball of dough and roll flat on a cookie sheet, about ¼ inch thick.  Spread with olive oil and top with garlic, rosemary, thyme, etc.  Bake at 425º for 15-20 minutes.  Sometimes I top this with cream cheese and sliced tomatoes, zucchini, and/or fresh basil and cook a little longer.    

Pizza: I have yet to figure out how to transfer a pizza dough with toppings to a hot stone (since I don't have a pizza peel), although it sounds like a cool idea.  So I always just take a ball of dough and roll it out onto the unheated stone (I spray it with cooking spray first) and then add toppings and bake.  It’s a delicious crust!  Usually about 425º for 15-20 minutes?

Calzones: I roll the dough flat, and fill with toppings while the stone and broiling tray preheat in the oven.  Then I wrap/tuck the calzone, transfer to the hot stone, and use the water in the broiling tray.  425º for 20-25 minutes.

Pitas: These turn out really yummy, although making them pretty takes some practice.  Preheat oven for 20 minutes at 500 with baking stone in oven.  The oven has to be nice and hot in order to produce a bread with a pocket inside, so don't rush the pre-heat.  Just before baking, cut off a golf-ball or very slightly larger piece of dough, and roll into a 1/8 inch thick circle, using flour as needed.  Try to make the dough uniform in thickness.  Do not slash the dough or it will not puff.  No rest/rise time is needed.  If you have a ventilation fan, turn it on because flour will smoke at this temperature, setting off your fire alarm every time.  Put the bread right onto the hot stone and bake for 5-7 minutes.  Repeat with remaining balls of dough.  It is easiest to bake 1 or 2 at a time.  Cut in half and open the pocket.  They are delicious stuffed with meat and sautéed onions/peppers, tomatoes/basil/mozzarella, or chicken salad.