Required Product: Big Green Egg Baking Stone
Biga Ingredients:
2 ½ cups high gluten bread flour
184mL water
1/8 tsp instant yeast
Pizza Dough Ingredients:
390mL water
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast
1 ½ tbsp honey
2 ½ tsp salt
5 cups high gluten bread flour
¾ tbsp olive oil
240 grams Biga
Pizza Sauce Ingredients:
¼ cup shallots, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 800 can San Marzano tomatoes, strained
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste
Biga:
Two days before you want to cook your pizza, prepare the Biga. Combine all the Biga ingredients and mix on low speed in a stand mixer until dough forms. Place in an oiled container and wrap with plastic wrap. Rest at room temperature for 4 hours or until dough doubles in volume. Punch down and put in the fridge overnight.
NOTE: What is Biga? Biga is a type of pre-fermentation used in Italian baking. Using Biga adds complexity to the bread’s flavour and is often used in breads that need a light, open texture with holes.
Pizza Dough:
One day before you want to cook your pizza, prepare the pizza dough. Add water, yeast, honey, flour and salt (in that order) into the mixer. Mix on low speed for four minutes. Add the Biga and mix on medium speed for two minutes. Add oil and mix on low speed for two minutes. Remove the dough and scale into 230-gram portions. Fold the corners of dough into the centre and then place them on a table so that the tucked corners are on the bottom. Rest for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into rounds; place onto an oiled sheet tray and wrap in plastic – refrigerate overnight.
Pizza Sauce:
Sweat the shallots in olive oil over low heat; add the strained tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; pass through a food mill, season and cool.
Remove the pizza dough from the fridge and bring to room temperature.
Set the EGG for indirect cooking (with the convEGGtor) at 345°C. Add a Pizza & Baking Stone to preheat.
Stretch the pizza dough to the desired size; place the dough on a semolina flour-dusted pizza peel. Layer with pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella and toppings of your choice.
Using the pizza peel, move the pizza onto the stone. Close the dome and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the pizza reaches your desired doneness. Remove and enjoy!
TIP: The Big Green Egg Oak and Hickory Lump Charcoal is perfect for this dish. We advise against adding smoking chips or chunks, as you want the natural flavour of the pizza to shine through. The regular charcoal still adds a subtle hint of smoky flavour as the pizza will only be in the EGG for a few minutes.
