Quick and Easy Spicy Garlic Pizza for a Weeknight Dinner

Making delicious pizza doesn’t require days of preparation. You can enjoy a flavorful, crispy, and satisfying pizza in just two hours. This recipe focuses on a high-hydration dough (80% water) to speed up gluten development, allowing for a quicker rise and a delightful open crumb. This method eliminates the need for lengthy fermentation periods, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.

The key to achieving a well-developed gluten network in a short time is proper hydration and mixing. The high water content in this dough allows the ingredients to interact more efficiently, resulting in faster gluten development. This is further enhanced by the slap and fold technique, which helps to build the gluten structure quickly and effectively.

A crucial step in this process is the slap and fold method. This involves slapping the dough on the counter, folding it over, and repeating the process. This develops the gluten, giving the dough the elasticity needed for a great crust. After a few minutes of slapping and folding, the dough will become noticeably smoother and more tensile.

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Once the gluten is well-developed, the dough needs time for its first bulk fermentation. Then, we divide the dough into two balls for proofing before shaping and baking. A pizza stone or peel is ideal, but a cast iron pan or sheet pan works just as well.

The high heat of the oven is essential for achieving the desired oven spring, which creates a light and airy crust. Preheat your oven to 550°F (or the highest temperature your oven allows) to ensure a perfectly cooked pizza. The high heat helps the crust puff up and become crispy.

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While the dough proofs, prepare the toppings. For this spicy garlic pizza, a simple uncooked sauce is made with canned tomatoes, Calabrian chili peppers (or red pepper flakes), olive oil, and salt. This Neapolitan-style sauce provides a vibrant flavor base for the pizza.

Thinly sliced garlic cloves are used as a topping, and a garlic butter sauce made with melted butter and garlic powder adds an extra layer of flavor to the crust. This combination of fresh garlic and garlic butter creates a rich and savory flavor profile.

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After proofing, carefully stretch the dough to your desired size and thickness. Sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel before transferring the dough to prevent sticking. Add the sauce, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, sliced garlic, and dried chili flakes.

Slide the pizza onto the preheated baking stone and bake for approximately 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden brown. The baking time may vary depending on your oven and the thickness of the crust.

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Once the pizza is out of the oven, enhance the flavor with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a generous brushing of the garlic butter sauce around the crust. The combination of Parmesan and garlic butter complements the spicy and savory flavors of the pizza.

This two-hour pizza recipe is a fantastic way to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home without the wait. The spicy garlic combination offers a unique and flavorful experience, perfect for any pizza lover looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.