First Bake of the Baking Club established by CJ McRae

Pizza Dough Using a Food Processor

That can’t possibly work

Look at that, it does work — Photo by Author

I decided to join the Baking Club by CJ McRae. I have been in a few reading clubs, but they are not all that tasty.

[embed]Do You Want to Join My Bread Baking Club? Let’s Make Our Own Foodmedium.com

But Food, that’s my kind of club.

When I saw the first bake was homemade pizza, I grabbed my apron, banished Mali from the kitchen, and carefully read the recipe and story behind it while letting CJ know - I would give it a go.

I have the opposite problem from CJ.

I gave my stand mixer to our son, which is what I have always used to make bread and dough. A dough hook was something I figured was mandatory. And honestly, I had never heard of using a food processor.

I googled it, and it appears it is not only a thing, it is a big thing with dozens of YouTube videos.

When I made sourdough bread during Covid-19, who wasn’t doing that? I did it all by hand while wishing I had the stand mixer back.

Ingredients for the Pizza Dough — Photo by Author

I’m following the recipe from the First Bake Club story.

[embed]The Ingredients I Use To Make Great Pizza Dough Gathering Supplies For First Bake of the Baking Clubmedium.com

This recipe is from Serious Eats. Link

But because it makes three pizzas and there are only two of us in my house, I cut the recipe in half, to potentially make one large pizza.

Dough ready for 24 hours in refrigerator — Photo by Author

My food processor came with a dough blade that replaced the normal sharp stainless steel blade. It works really well and the processor even has a pre-programmed dough setting called AutoIQ.

I noticed it ran a bit longer than suggested in the recipe, and then it turned off automatically. The dough was the perfect consistency. But I would learn later that it was a little over-mixed.

I think I am now a food processor convert.

The folks who know me will understand why I would want to use the solar oven to cook pizza.

I’m sad to say, the results were less than expected. The top was great, but the bottom of the pizza lacked the crispness that I like. So there will be no Pizza baked by the sun.

But I did try it using a frozen pizza, thawed so I could put it into pans that would fit the solar oven.

Solar oven cooking frozen pizza — Photo by Author

The top came out great, bottom not-so-much — Photo by Author

So, I will be using the big oven for this “First Bake Club” pizza. But I do have a pizza stone for the oven.

24 hours later — Pizza Dough stretched out, I added the Italian Herbs Paste, followed by the Fire Roasted Marinara — Photos by Author

Toppings added — The final shape is out of wack as I was trying to fit it onto the pizza stone — Photo by Author

I had trouble getting the pizza to fit on the pizza stone, so it ended up being a weird shape, but it still tasted great.

My lessons Learned from the “First Bake.”

1. I should have timed the food processor myself rather than rely on the auto program, as I think it over mixed the dough just a little.
2. There was no need to cut the recipe in half. The dough is good in the refrigerator for five days, so I could have used the rest another time.
3. Get a bigger Pizza Stone

Thanks, CJ McRae — This was fun, and I learned that the food processor is an easy way to make dough.

I wonder — what will be on the club menu next time?

Join in and get your hands sticky.