Sullivan Street Potato Pizza - English recipe

Makes two 13 x 9-inch pans or one half-sheet pan

Time: About 6 hours, with 30 minutes of active work

Sullivan Street Bakery is named for its street in the SoHo section of New York City. The bakery is well known for its pizza bianca, but my favorite is this potato pizza. It is very unlike a traditional pizza, more like a very thin-crusted tart heaped with golden waves of potatoes, onions, rosemary, and olive oil. The dough is unusual but not difficult to make. It starts out as a batter but is beaten in a stand mixer into very fluid dough, which bakes into a very thin and bubbly crust. I have mixed flours to achieve an 11.5% protein flour.

RECIPE SYNOPSIS

Mix the dough for 20 minutes and let it ferment for 4 hours. Line the pan(s) with the dough, and proof for I hour; then top the pizza and bake for about 40 minutes.

BAKE DAY & MIXING THE DOUGH

Dough

130 grams unbleached all-purpose flour*
130 grams unbleaches bread flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast
285 g water, lukewarm
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt
Extra virgin olive oil, for coating the pan

*Or use 1/4 cups (9.2 ounces, 260 grams) King Arthur all-purpose flour.

Measure the flours and yeast into the mixing bowl and mix them together by hand. Using the pad¬dle, mix on low speed while pouring in the water. Mix just until the batter comes together, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat this batter until it cleans the bowl and comes together into a smooth if very wet dough, about 20 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and mix until both are well dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.

FERMENTING THE DOUGH

Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and let it ferment until it is very light, about 4 hours.

LINING THE PANS

Very generously coat two 13 x 9-inch baking pans or 1 half-sheet pan with olive oil. Pour the fer¬mented dough directly into the pan(s). Coat your hands well with olive oil and spread the dough in a thin layer in the pan(s). Spread the dough as much as you can without ripping it, then let it rest for about 10 minutes. Spread the dough to the pans' (pan's) edges (you may need another 10-minute rest to stretch it out fully). Bubbles are desirable, so try not to pop them. Cover the pan(s) and let the dough proof until light and risen by about half, about 1 hour.

TOPPING

about 1500g Yukon Gold or yellow-fleshed potatoes
Coarse salt

280 g Sweet or yellow onion, sliced as half-moons
2 TBsp Fresh rosemary, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

While the dough is proofing, prepare the topping. Slice the potatoes into paper-thin rounds using the 2-millimeter blade of a food processor or a mandoline. Dry the potato slices with kitchen paper. Toss the potato slices with the onion and rosemary.

PREHEATING THE OVEN

About 30 minutes before baking the pizza, arrange a rack on the oven's top shelf for the half-sheet pan, or the top and lower-third shelves for the 2 pans, and clear away all racks above the ones being used. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

TOPPING AND BAKING THE PIZZA

When the dough is proofed, spread on the topping. Brush it generously with olive oil and sprinkle with more salt. Bake the pizza until the potatoes are brown and crusty at the edges and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 40 minutes, rotating the pan(s) halfway into the bake. Serve the pizza hot or at room temperature.

(Adapted from: Maggie Glezer - "Artisan Baking")