Follow-Up Pizza Dough

The pizza experiments continue and I feel like I'm dialing in my technique.  Here is the basic recipe I'm working with, just slightly modified to the previous posted recipe.

4 1/2 cups flour -
1 3/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cup ice cold water
semolina flour for dusting

 Notes
I use 4 cups King Arthur All purpose flour and 1/2 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour which gives the dough a little 'bite' and flavor without tasting too 'wheat-y'.  I tried the super fine 00 flour but didn't get any better results than the all purpose stuff.  The purists believe in the 00 flour though...Also make sure your flour is fresh.  Yes flour goes rancid, especially whole grain, and especially if you live in warm climates.  I keep my flour in the freezer and try to only buy what I will use in the next 3-6 months.  If your dough tastes flat, try some fresh flour.

Don't scrimp on the salt or yeast, I'm always a little easy on the salt, but found you need both for full flavor.

Pay attention to the wetness of the dough.  It changes every time I mix it up.  I use an electric mixer with a dough hook.  As described in the initial recipe, the sides should not stick to the side of the bowl, but the bottom should.

 I split the recipe into 4 parts, putting 2 dough balls into plastic ziploc bags into which I'd previous poured a Tablespoon of olive oil.  The ziploc bags go into the freezer and the 2 remaining go into my magic wooden pizza box.

Wooden Box - So I got the idea for the wooden dough box from Tony's in North Beach, who make the best Margherita pizzas, hands down.  I asked the chef the other day and she told me the wood helps manage the moisture in the dough.  I found a guy on eBay who made poplar cigar boxes and ordered one on faith.  Three benefits I've found from my 'magic pizza box'   

       1.) The dough proofs up better, don't know why exactly, but it both tastes better and the stretch is easier to work with.

       2.) The cigar box size fits 2 dough balls perfectly for proofing and I can put the flour directly into the box for when I roll the crust before stretching.  This helps contain the flour mess.  Also the lid allows me to slide it into the fridge without taking up an entire shelf.

3.) The lid serves as my cutting board once the pizza cooks.  How's that for a pizza system?

A final note on cooking temperatures - get it as hot as you can, really.  My new favorite method for Margherita pizzas is to grill them on a gas grill.  After stretching the dough, toss down directly onto the grill, again make sure it is hot!  Pizza wants 800+F if possible.  The crust will crisp very quickly.  As soon as it is firm enough, flip the crust with a pair of tongs.  Then, carefully, and quickly, add toppings.  Close the lid and let the pie cook, usually no more than 6minutes.   

If I can't grill the pizza I still get good results with my gas oven set on broil and using the pizza stone.  I sprinkle sufficient semolina flour on my 'peel' which is really a flat cookie sheet and slide the pie directly onto the stone to cook.  My oven seems to get to about 600F on the broil setting which still gives perfectly good results.  Again, I've learned to be careful to not lose too much heat when opening and closing the oven.  Move quickly.  Enjoy!  Its taken me a while to get the hang of the dough, but it is now def worth it.