Bread (Fried) - Fried Pizza Dough
Posted: 03 Nov 2017, 09:34
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups water
For the dredging:
1 cup (approximately) all-purpose flour
1 cup (approximately) cornmeal
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Canola or other neutral oil, for frying
Flaky salt, for finishing
We then press it like a pizza dough in a dredge made up of flour, cornmeal and cayenne pepper. be mindful that you don't want to stretch it like a pizza as that will be too thin and wont give you the chew that makes the dish delicious. You want to get it pressed out to about 1/4" thick. We get a cast iron skillet hot with enough oil that the bread can crisp nicely. Allow your oil to heat just to the smoking point and add the dough. air bubbles will begin to rise. at this point you may need to reduce your heat in order not to burn, once you have achieved the desired color on the bottom side, flip it and finish cooking. take it out of the pan and allow it to quickly drain on a paper towel. sprinkle with sea salt and cut in the shape you prefer. In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and, with a wooden spoon and/or your hands, mix thoroughly. (We've found that it's easiest to start with the spoon, then switch to your hands.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature (about 72°) for 18 hours, or until it has more than doubled. It will take longer in a chilly room and less time in a very warm one. Generously flour a work surface and your hands and scrape out the dough. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and press each to about 1/4-inch thick. (You don't want to stretch the dough like you're making a pizza because you're looking for a chewy final product.) In a shallow casserole dish or a large plate with a rim, mix together the dredging ingredients. Transfer the pizza dough discs to the dredge and make sure they're thoroughly coated on each side. In a cast-iron skillet or other heavy frying pan with sides, heat about 1 inch of canola oil to just before the smoking point (you don't need the pizza dough to be completely submerged—only one side at a time needs to be in the hot oil). To test whether the oil is hot enough to fry, you can use an instant-read thermometer (you want it between 350° and 375° F); insert the handle of a wooden spoon (if it's hot enough, oil will bubble around the handle); or drop in a few flecks of water (they'll furiously bubble). Add a disc of dredged dough (two, if you can fit them) and fry until deeply brown on the bottom. Flip and continue to fry until that side is brown, too. Remove to a wire rack, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Repeat with the remaining discs of dough. (Because some of the dredging came loose when I was frying the dough, I found it helpful to change the oil in between fries—otherwise, the flecks of flour and cornmeal can start to burn). Cut the dough into wedges and serve with your favorite dip. (Or turn it into a pizza-of-sorts: Top with fresh tomato slices, or Marcella Hazan sauce, and tears of mozzarella or, even better, burrata.)