As Rich Payne's first bake for Matthews as our new Pizza Ambassador, it gives us great pleasure to share this fantastic Buffalo Mozzarella Deluxe Pizza Recipe! Watch out for more fantastic Pizza, focaccia and bread baking recipes, as well as a ton of top tips and related guides to come!
- Baker: Rich Payne (@dough_and_behold on Instagram)
- Makes: 4 x 275g dough balls
- Prep Time: 20 hours (based on method below)
- Bake Time: 60-70 seconds at 430°C in a pizza oven
Buffalo Mozzarella Deluxe Pizza Dough Method
- This recipe follows a 20-hour fermentation process at room temperature - around 21°C. The method below assumes you start at 5pm the day before to bake at 1pm the following day.
- Add all the flour into a mixing bowl (using a food mixer). Add 80% of your water to the bowl. Crumble the fresh yeast into the bowl (or use dried yeast). Turn your mixer on to a slow speed and mix until there are no dry bits. Add a little more water if necessary, but not all of it yet.
- Once there are no dry bits, cover the bowl and rest for 30-45 minutes. This allows the dough to absorb the water and helps gluten develop. After the rest, add the salt and the remaining water into the mixer. Mix at a slow speed until combined, then increase the speed for 1-2 minutes until the dough becomes smooth. Stop the mixer and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- After resting, mix the dough for another minute. If the dough feels smooth, remove it from the mixer. If the dough is still a bit lumpy, rest and repeat the process until it becomes smooth. Once the dough is smooth, transfer it to a clean work surface and gently shape it into a ball.
- Use a dough scraper to create surface tension and shape the dough into a tight ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled container with a lid. Leave it to bulk prove at room temperature overnight (15 hours).
- The next morning (8am), turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into 4 x 275g dough balls. Shape each ball into a tight, smooth ball by folding the dough into itself several times. Place the dough balls into a lightly oiled breakfast bowl or small dough tray and cover with cling film (or silicone covers for a more eco-friendly option).
- Let the dough balls rest at room temperature for another 5 hours, or you can leave them overnight for an even longer rest. Both methods work well.
Buffalo Mozzarella Deluxe Pizza Topping Method
- Stretch the first dough ball to around 10 inches in diameter. Add toppings - spread a layer of tomato sauce. Grate a little Grana Padano over the sauce. Tear a few fresh basil leaves and sprinkle them on top. Add slices of fresh mozzarella. Slice up some fresh red and green Jalapeno peppers and scatter them over the pizza. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top.
- Bake in a pizza oven at 430°C for 60-70 seconds or until the crust is golden and bubbly.
- While the pizza is still steaming hot, quickly tear a ball of Buffalo Mozzarella into smaller pieces and add it to the pizza. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- The Buffalo mozzarella will melt slightly, adding an extra creamy, soft texture to the pizza.
