PINSA - LIKE PIZZA, BUT BETTER?
Pinsa is like pizza, but baked (when in a restaurant) baked at lower temperature for longer. For us without a pizza-oven - you can make pinsa in your normal kitchen oven.
The other difference is that it's oval instead of round; and you give it "focaccia dimples" with your finges rather than making it flat like a pizza base.
We also brush the pinsa (except for the edges) with a little olive oil - but you can omit that if you want. But the olive oil adds a bit of crunch to the pinsa - and particularly good if you are putting something really wet onto it - like our favourite with oven-baked cherry tomatoes. That has a lot of tomato juice - so the crustier top helps the pinsa keep from absorbing all that liquid. Instead it'll be running down your chin and dropping onto your plate :-)
We basically use the same recipe as our pizza - but brush with olive oil.
400 grams of pizzamix makes for 2 pinsas of 400g (very large) or 3 normal-sized pinsas of 265g. In addition to the 400 grams of pizza mix, you will need:
- 385g lukewarm water
- 13g of salt
- 4g olive oil
- And fresh yeast (see below based on planned proofing time)
- Rice flour (for flouring tables and dough)
YEAST AMOUNT VS FERMENTATION (all measurements are based on fresh yeast).
- 24 hours of cold fermentation (the dough is set the night before: 2.5g of yeast (exactly!!! 3g is too much)
- 12 hours cold fermentation (the dough is made the same morning as it is to be eaten in the evening): 5g yeast
- 2 hours of "room fermentation" (the dough is made just before the pizza is to be cooked): 8-10g yeast
HOW TO PREPARE THE PINSA DOUGH
Pour in the 385g of water (lukewarm) and dissolve the selected amount of yeast and then half the mix, let the machine run for 30 seconds and then pour in the other half of the mix. Just when the dough starts to come together, you can add the 13g of salt. The dough will change consistency quite a lot from first dry to then firmer and finally sticky - no more water is needed. Let the machine run for about 5 minutes. Then add the 4g of olive oil and leave on the machine for another two minutes. Done. Leave the dough to rest for 20 minutes (covered with a lid).
With oiled hands (with/without disposable plastic gloves) - take and weigh approx. 400g (or 3 pizzas of 265g) and shape into a ball (oiled surface). Place in plastic foil and roll like a popsicle and fold in the "ears". If it is to be cold-fermented, put it in the fridge (overnight/day) - otherwise leave it on the kitchen counter for the 2 hours it is supposed to proof. If it has been in the fridge - take the dough out an hour before you are going to bake the pizza, then it will be easier to shape.
HOW TO SHAPE THE PINSA
The pinsa is shaped with the hands, on a lightly floured table/surface (rice flour / sorghum).
The dough is on the stickier side and therefore you need to flour the top as well. Also good to have a thin pizza peel that you run in under the pinsa so it doesn't stick to the table surface.
Take a pizza ball and roll it in the flour; and press it down to make it more oval (about 25cm in length, 15cm wide and about 2-3 cm in thickness). Make dimples with your fingers. Once ready, brush with olive oil - and it's ready for the oven. Toppings are added afterwards (at least with our version of Pinsa).
Bake for 10 minutes at 230 degrees celcius.
Take out the pinsa, add your toppings (see suggestion below) and if you want you can briefly put the pinsa in the oven again if you want to heat up the toppings or melt any cheese. But it's not necessary.
Cut into pieces, and enjoy.
PINSA TOPPING
The sweet taste of homegrown cherry tomatoes, oven baked with olive oil, garlic and a few spices for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees.
Once out of the oven, you can leave it to cool. Later, top it onto a newly baked pinsa, sprinkle with small pieces of stracchino and fresh, chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
