Along the pizza trail

In a quixotic search for the perfect slice of pizza, master baker Peter Reinhart crisscrossed the Atlantic, threading his way from the cafes of old-world Italy to the classic parlors of Chicago, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Wherever Reinhart ventured, skilled regional cooks opened their kitchens and generously shared their techniques.

Reinhart recounts his journey in a warm and engaging new book, “American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza” (Ten Speed Press, $24.95), that includes recipes for basic doughs, spicy oils and exotic toppings (one features pecans, candied figs, Andouille sausage and goat cheese).

“American Pie” is a winning travelogue, but Reinhart’s recipes, adapted from some of the world’s most renowned pizzerias, may frustrate beginners. The book’s basic tomato sauce is tart and uninspired, and its deep-dish and thin crusts disappointed our taste-testers. We were especially perplexed by the book’s instructions for thin-crust baking times and temperatures, which are spread across various chapters but never clearly spelled out.

For the serious pizzaiolo–the baker willing to spend half a day on a single pie, and not afraid to pick up the pieces after a flop or two–Reinhart offers a handy guide to the regional styles of this timeless dish. Experienced cooks will enjoy modifying and experimenting with Reinhart’s basic instructions. But the simple peasant dish remains tricky to make from scratch.

Invented by Stone Age chefs who somehow, instinctively anticipated the fast-food cravings of 21st Century SUV drivers, pizza is among the world’s most flexible and adapted foods. The author of “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice”–named last year’s James Beard Foundation cookbook of the year–Reinhart is good at explaining the fingerwork involved in making the breadlike crust. He steps readers through the trusty, thin Napoletana as well as sourdough, focaccia and grilled pizzas.

Happily, he also is a big fan of Chicago deep-dish–the inches-high crust blanketed with toppings and cheese. Reinhart adapts elements of Lou Malnati’s and Pizzeria Due, while tipping his hat to the thick-but-airy cornmeal casing of Gino’s East. The basic recipe for deep-dish style dough is time-consuming but fun to make–the cornmeal glistens like mica chips when rolled. But we found Reinhart’s basic crust needed adapting–it was salty, and nicely crunchy on the bottom but spongy on top.

The ideal thin-crust has a crunch that melts in your mouth–a crisp bottom nearly impossible to achieve in the ovens found in most American kitchens. Professional pizza ovens typically reach at least 700 degrees and are lined with stone to hold the heat and distribute it evenly. We found the crust was best at our test oven’s maximum of 500 degrees–although the cheese topping began to burn as the crust finished, after about eight minutes. At a lower temperature, the cheese did not burn, but the crust was chewy.

Over the years, pizza has undergone countless re-inventions. Reinhart’s guide will help skilled bakers twirl and transform the simple dish in ever more satisfying ways.

Napoletana pizza dough

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Rising time: 2 1/2 hours plus overnight

Yield: Six 6-ounce dough balls

“If possible, make this dough either the day before you plan to make the pizzas, or make it well in advance and keep the dough balls in the freezer,” writes Peter Reinhart in “American Pie.” “When I shape the pizzas, I always keep a couple of extra dough balls ready in case of mishaps, such as dropping or tearing. If you don’t use the extra dough balls, they can still be chilled for later use, preferably within 24 hours.”

5 cups (22 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons table salt or 3 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cool water (65 degrees)

1. With a large metal spoon, stir together all the ingredients in a 4-quart bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer until combined. If mixing with an electric mixer, fit it with the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until all the flour gathers to form a coarse ball. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then mix again on medium-low speed for an additional 2 minutes, or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and sticks just a little to the bottom. If the dough is too soft and sticky to hold its shape, mix in more flour by the tablespoonful; if it is too stiff or dry, mix in more water by the tablespoonful. (If mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the spoon into room-temperature water and use it much like a dough hook, working the dough vigorously into a coarse ball as you rotate the bowl with your other hand. As all the flour is incorporated into the ball, about 4 minutes, the dough will begin to strengthen; when this occurs, let the dough rest for 5 minutes and then resume mixing for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough is slightly sticky, soft, and supple. If the dough is too soft and sticky to hold its shape, mix in more flour by the tablespoonful; if it is too stiff or dry, mix in more water by the tablespoonful.)

2. Transfer the dough to a floured counter, dust the top of the dough with flour to absorb the surface moisture and then, working from the 4 corners, fold the dough into a ball. Place the ball in a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil, turn the dough to coat it with the oil, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then put the bowl in the refrigerator overnight, (Or, if you are making the pizzas on the same day, let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, punch it down, reshape it into a ball, return the ball to the bowl, and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.)

3. The next day (or later the same day if refrigerated for only 2 hours), remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to make the pizzas. The dough will have expanded somewhat and the gluten will be very relaxed. Using a plastic bowl scraper dipped in water, or using wet hands, gently transfer the dough to a floured counter. Using a pastry blade that has been dipped in water, divide it into 6 equal pieces. Gently round each piece into a ball and brush or rub each ball with olive oil. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment or a nonstick silicone baking liner and brush with olive oil. Place each dough ball on the pan and loosely cover the pan with either plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. (If you do not plan to use all the pieces, place the extra ones in individual zippered freezer bags and refrigerate or freeze. Use the refrigerated balls within 2 days and the frozen balls within 3 months.) Allow the dough balls to sit at room temperature for 2 hours before making the pizzas.

Crushed tomato sauce

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 cups

From “American Pie.”

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, optional

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, optional

1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder, or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice, or a combination

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1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a bowl, stir together all the ingredients, starting with 1/2 teaspoon salt and adding more to taste. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pizza Margherita

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 8 minutes

Yield: Two 9-inch pizzas

“Plain and simple, this is the standard by which every serious pizzaiolo is judged,” writes Peter Reinhart in “American Pie.”

2 Napoletana pizza dough balls, 6 ounces each, see recipe

Unbleached all-purpose flour, cornmeal, or semolina flour, or a combination, for dusting peel

1/2 cup crushed tomato sauce, see recipe

16 fresh basil leaves

1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, preferably mozzarella di bufala, sliced into rounds, coarsely shredded, or cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino Romano, Asiago or other dry aged cheese, optional

1. Place a baking stone on the middle shelf of the oven (unless you know your oven well enough to place it on a different shelf) and heat on the highest setting for at least 1 hour. Make 1 pizza at a time unless your peel and oven can accommodate both pizzas. Shape the dough ball on a counter, stretching into a flat disc about 9 inches in diameter, and transfer it to a peel or an inverted sheet pan that has been dusted with flour.

2. Spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border uncovered. Place 4 basil leaves on top of the sauce, one in each quadrant. Arrange half of the mozzarella over the top of the sauce and basil, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the grated aged cheese.

3. Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the baking stone. It should take 7 to 9 minutes to bake. When it is done, the crust should be puffy and slightly charred on the edge and thinner in the center, and the cheese should be fully melted and just beginning to brown in spots. The underside of the crust should be brown and crisp, not white and soft. If the underside is not ready when the top is finished, lower the shelf for the next pizza.

4. Remove the finished pizza from the oven and immediately lay 4 additional basil leaves on top, placing one in each quadrant but not directly on top of the previous basil leaves. Serve the pizza whole (usually 1 pizza per person), or let it cool for about 2 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make the second pizza.

Nutrition information per pizza:

399 calories, 33% of calories from fat, 15 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 85 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 1,051 mg sodium, 4 g fiber