Pizza Margherita With Waffled Crust: Recipe

How to make it

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• Instructions:
• 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and mix until the dough is shaggy and most of the water has been absorbed. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured counter and knead until it is just blended but not too smooth. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• 2. Knead the dough until it is fairly smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.
• 3. Coat a bowl with the oil, add the dough to the bowl, and turn to coat. Let the dough rise in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 ½ hours, or until nearly doubled in size.
• 4. Dust your work surface with more flour. Punch down the dough, divide it into 6 pieces, place the pieces on your work surface, and form each into a smooth ball. Allow the pieces to rest for 5 minutes, covered by a cloth or plastic wrap. When you are ready to waffle, remove the wrap and shape each piece into a disk, pulling gradually on the dough to expand it. If it resists, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
• 5. Preheat the waffle iron on medium. Coat both sides of the waffle iron grid with nonstick spray.
• 6. Pull a disk of dough evenly until it’s as thin as possible, roughly circular, and about 8 inches in diameter (but no bigger than your waffle iron). If the dough tears, repair the tear by pushing the dough together and continuing to stretch other parts of the dough. Repeat with each dough disk.
• 7. Preheat the broiler.
• 8. Put a disk of dough in the waffle iron and cook about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
• 9 Remove the disk from the waffle iron and set it on a baking sheet. Repeat Step 8 with the remaining disks.
• 10. Top each waffled crust with about 1/2 cup of sauce, 1/3 cup of cheese, and a handful of the tomatoes, if using, and place the baking sheet under the broiler for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
• 11. Remove the pizzas from the broiler, sprinkle with basil, and serve warm.
• Variation:
• Want a dish that is waffled from start to finish? I give you the Waffled Calzone:
• 1. After the disks have been formed in Step 6, put 1/4 cup of sauce, 1/4 cup of cheese, a few tomatoes, if using, and a small handful of basil on one half of the dough, leaving a margin of about 1/2 inch all around. Fold over the dough to envelop the toppings in a pocket and pinch the edges to seal. Place the pocket in the waffle iron and close the lid.
• 2. Cook for 5 minutes and then check. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the dough. Calzones with very thin dough may be done after 5 minutes. Thicker dough may take a few more minutes. The dough should be golden brown and the cheese should be melted.
• 3. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve warm with extra marinara sauce for dipping