LESSON #9

MAKING A "DOUBLE-CRUST" PIZZA PIE

It is easy to create a wide variety of "double-crust" and "fold-over" recipes such as stuffed focaccias and calzones, as well as other pizza and dessert "pies."

To make a double-crust pizza, prepare two dough balls per the instructions above. Roll out two circular sheets of dough, about 14" in circumference and 1/4" thick. Place the first sheet of dough down in the center of a 12" pizza baking pan. The edge of the dough will droop over the edge of the pan. Draw the dough up evenly over the wall of the pan, letting out any air trapped between the dough and the pan. The dough will conform to the shape of the pan. DO NOT trim the excess dough from the edge of the pan yet.

Continue by filling the pie shell as you would making a regular single-crust pizza. Add sauce, cheese, sautéed vegetables and pre-cooked meat portions and a final topping of cheese over the filling.

Place the second dough sheet over the filling and allow the edge of the sheet to meet with and over-lap the edge of the bottom sheet of dough. Where the two dough sheets meet, take a finger full of water and moisten the inner dough surfaces to insure proper closure of the pie edge.

Trim  the edge of the two dough sheets around the outside of the pan edge with a knife. Compress and seal the two sheets of dough together. Remove the excess dough and set it aside.

Prick the top sheet of dough with a fork or sharp knife to vent the pie as it bakes. Try coating the top surface of the pie dough with a light brushing of olive oil. Bake the pie using the previous baking instructions, allowing for a little extra time to allow both crusts to bake through.

When the top crust is a golden brown, your double-crust pizza pie is ready to enjoy.