Today I have a ‘technical’ basic recipe for you. 😊 I’m writing a new recipe that will air on Monday (just a couple of days away, it’s coming soon) that… small spoiler… will include this crazy dough with extra virgin olive oil as an ingredient.
As always, when I prepare a recipe that requires a basic recipe, I like to also write the specific recipe separately, because it’s useful for everyone and because then I can add it to the collection. The collection of basic recipes is one of my favorites, I consult it often myself (given my proverbial lack of memory for ingredient weights!), and it’s also one of the collections you consult the most.
You might wonder if there’s really a need to write a new recipe for crazy dough. After all, the crazy dough with oil (seed oil) is already here on the blog, and someone might argue that you just need to change the type of oil, right? Kind of. Yes, true, but not entirely. Some further explanation about this version with extra virgin olive oil deserves to be written.
I’ve tried it several times, with different types of flour, and with two different types of olive oil, and the main clarification I feel like making is that for this use (i.e., to make crazy dough) I prefer to use a delicate extra virgin oil. I had also mentioned this in the recipe for the version with seed oil, there I explained that at the time I had tried using a more robust extra virgin oil, which I had at home during that period, a test that didn’t fully convince me, leading me to prefer seed oil at that time. Now that I’ve purchased a supply of more delicate oil, I’m satisfied with how the crazy dough turns out when I make it with this olive oil, although I still continue to make it with seed oil depending on the recipe I need to make.
These are, it’s true, personal preferences, but in the kitchen, there are so many variables, and even the individual products used have their importance.
The main difference between seed oil and extra virgin olive oil that I’ve noticed in the final result of crazy dough is that with seed oil it is more crumbly and crunchy, while olive oil (especially that from a mill, especially if more robust) makes the dough a bit softer, and after baking, it doesn’t crumble or crumbles much less.
These are all details I’m sharing with you, and I invite you to comment to share your impressions, and if you like, to tell me about your versions. I’m quite open to trying other versions of this crazy dough that I love! 😍 Yes, crazy dough has become for me… much more than a simple recurring recipe that I really like, I could say that ‘crazy dough is the new parsley’ in my kitchen! 😂
Indeed, crazy dough with extra virgin olive oil, or with seed oil, plain or with added seeds (I’ll leave you the links in a few lines) has become the base dough for all my quiches and all my savory pies, desserts, cookies, and even crackers.
Crackers, yes. I have to confess that the recipes for surplus crackers that I repeated many times in my early years with sourdough, I almost don’t make them anymore because now I’ve been won over by this new passion for crazy dough crackers. I have a dedicated folder of photos for them, and I don’t rule out that sooner or later a specific recipe for them will come out (it will happen, it will happen!). 😃
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 1 dough ball
- Cooking methods: Other
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
In this recipe, you will find photos of two different doughs made with two different flours: flour 0 (which I used for the next recipe), flour type 1 (which I used for a spinach flatbread, a recipe I plan to write). But in my archive, I also have photos of two other versions (certainly with flour 2 and wholemeal), which I don’t remember how I used, possibly for crackers (tests and recipes to repeat as soon as possible).
- 2 cups flour (type 1 or 0)
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp vinegar
Tools
- Bowl
- Food scale
Steps to prepare the crazy dough with extra virgin olive oil
Pour the flour into a bowl.
Add the oil, water, and teaspoon of vinegar.
☝ As always, I recommend not pouring all the water at once but adding it little by little. The total amount may differ from what I indicated in the ingredients because it always depends on the flour used. It can happen that the amount of water to use is different due to the different absorption of the flours
👉 Additionally, I note that in the version with type 1 flour, I used 2 1/2 tbsps of oil. It turned out just as well. In that case, a teaspoon more of water was necessary to incorporate the crumbs and flour left at the bottom of the bowl (so 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp).
Work by hand until you get an elastic dough.
Place the dough ball in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Here’s the dough ball of the version with flour 0 (more photos of this version will be in the next recipe):
And here’s the version with type 1 flour:
I suggest using the crazy dough with extra virgin olive oil to make the next recipe, or to make the Easter pie, or to make one of these pies or quiches:
Quiche with red chicory and onion
Quiche with potatoes, spinach, ricotta, and provolone
See you on Monday!
No salt tips
As already mentioned in the recipe for crazy dough with seed oil, there’s no need to add salt. The absence of salt favors the dough’s elasticity. Also, considering that crazy dough is usually used very thin for pies with abundant and flavorful fillings, the lack of salt is not perceived (not even by those who do not follow a low-sodium diet 😉).
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually, the palate needs to adapt slowly and shouldn’t notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my vegetable granules without salt and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer methods that don’t disperse flavors (grilling, en papillote, steaming, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally break the rule. It’s good for the mood and helps you persevere.
If you don’t want, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes seasoning according to your habits.
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In my WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest and in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Exactly what I was looking for! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter.
