You know how pasta is the standard choice for pre-race carbo-loading? It’s such a classic choice that people may think you’re strange for not eating pasta the night before a race. People who care about running, that is. Anyway, just as pasta is the established pre-race meal, I have come to the conclusion that pizza is the perfect post-race meal.
It’s got it all. The toppings can be modified to fulfill any craving, yet it has elements that are so comforting and familiar.
Friday nights are pizza nights at our house. Saturday has become our long run day, so if you’re wondering if pizza also makes a good night-before-a-long-run meal, it does. Trust me. I think it only works if you eat the whole thing though…
This one particular weekend we were planning on going to Chicago, so I had to complete my long run on Friday evening instead of Saturday. It was cold and gray and a little rainy and the run wasn’t easy. But when I took my first bite of pizza afterward, I realized this dish was meant to be eaten after a run. It warmed me up, filled me up, and reminded me that there is still good in the world.
Since I’m not Martha Stewart, I usually buy pre-made pizza dough from Trader Joe’s. It’s about $2, it freezes well, and the texture is awesome. However, I still prefer the homemade stuff. The texture can’t be beat and it’s quite easy to work with. So whenever I have the time, I always go the homemade route.
Homemade pizza dough is not difficult, but it requires a good deal of waiting time. So if you’re planning on having your pizza post-Saturday long run, get the dough together right before you head out the door so it’s risen and ready to go by the time you get back. I’m slightly ashamed to admit this, but I have tried the “no-rise dough” recipes. If you can, try to avoid that route. Your pizza dough deserves some love, and you can show it love by letting it rise (to its full potential).
This recipe will make enough dough for three pizzas for normal humans who didn’t just run (or plan on running) 16 miles just for fun. My husband, Jackson, and I have been known to create only two pizzas from this recipe and regret nothing afterward.
Also, if you’re just the occasional pizza eater it may not make sense to invest in the following items. However if you’re convinced 1/3 of your body is made of pizza, consider adding these items to your kitchen equipment. I’m not a fan of having kitchen equipment that isn’t useful for a variety of different things, but to me, this stuff is worth it.
- Pizza Stone
- Pizza Paddle
- Pizza Slicer
And parchment paper!! It makes stretching out your pizza dough and transferring from counter to oven and back to counter SO EASY. I use it for all my baking needs, not just pizza. It keeps baking sheets clean (easy clean up), doesn’t burn (but it’s PAPER!? What a mystery), and it’s nonstick (so better than aluminum foil). It’s not like you’re buying a new car or anything, just throw a roll in your cart next time you go shopping. It’s like $2 and it will last you awhile.
One last thing, don’t use a rolling pin while rolling out your dough! It releases the air pockets in your dough, which will leave you with a flat, heavy, uninteresting crust. Use your hands, it’s what they were made to do (plus it makes you feel way more professional). Here’s how you stretch out your dough:
Okay, now it’s pizza time.
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups hand-hot water
- 5 cups flour
Instructions
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In a stand-up mixer with a dough attachment, combine yeast, salt, sugar, water, and 1 tbsp oil. Swirl the mixture with your finger until combined. Let the mixture sit for about fifteen minutes until foamy.
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Set the mixture on a low speed and slowly add four cups of flour cup by cup. Wait until one cup is combined before adding another cup.
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Once the mixture has come together as a sticky dough and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, stop the mixer and dump the dough onto a clean, floured surface.
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Knead the dough until elastic and slightly sticky, adding the last cup of flour. Wash the mixer bowl and wipe the inside down with the rest of the olive oil. Cover the bowl tightly with saran wrap and a dish towel. Let rise for two hours in a warm, draftless area.
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Once the dough has doubled in size, dump it out on a clean, floured surface and divide into three equal parts. Knead each part for a few minutes and form into balls.
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At this point, you can either wrap the dough tightly in saran wrap and put it in a plastic bag to store in the freezer for up to a month or you can use it right away.
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If you will be using the dough right away, cover the pieces with a dish towel. Let rest for 15 minutes. In the meantime, put your pizza stone in the oven and preheat it to 500 degrees
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Once the pieces have risen slightly, remove one piece from the dish towel and knead it out to form a crust. Keep the other pieces covered as you knead the dough. Work from the inside, out, kneading the crust as little as possible to keep it airy.
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Add sauce and toppings and bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing.
