25. Perfect Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast (active will take longer to rise)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
- Olive oil/nonstick cooking spray
- Garlic salt
- cornmeal
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer (preferred), stir in the water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. If the yeast doesn’t foam, either your water was too warm, or your yeast is too old. Yeast should be no older than 6 months. Repeat until your yeast foams like this (which can take up to 10 minutes):
- Add olive oil, salt, and 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well with your hook attachment (or with a wooden spoon if not using a mixer).
- Continue to mix while gradually stirring in 2 more cups of flour. If your dough is too wet and is not pulling away from the bowl, add 1 more tablespoon of flour at a time (up to 1/4 cup) until dough barely sticks to your fingers. Once dough has pulled away from the bowl, continue to mix for 5 more minutes on medium-low speed (or by hand). You may need to place a hand on your mixer so it doesn’t fly off your counter!
- Shape the dough into a ball and place back into your large mixing bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Turn dough over to coat with oil on all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (75-80F), until it has doubled in size. Depending on your yeast (active dry yeast takes longer than instant yeast), climate, etc. this will take between 1-2 hours. Guestimating 15 minutes before your dough is ready, place your pizza stone or baking sheet in the middle rack of your oven set to 475 degrees F. You want to “bake” your stone for 30-60 minutes in order to get it nice and hot.
- After dough has doubled in size, punch down to release the air…
- Remove dough from bowl, knead a couple times to further release the air then divide into two equal balls and cover with a towel for 15 minutes to allow them to rise further.
- Carefully remove your pizza stone/baking sheet and GENEROUSLY grease the entire surface with olive oil or with nonstick cooking spray (I like to spray like crazy). Sprinkle with cornmeal for added flavor, texture and to prevent sticking.
- After 15 minutes, roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface or nonstick slip mat into a 12-inch round circle. Transfer pizza dough to your baking dish or pizza stone then pinch edges to create a rimmed crust. Try scooting your pizza dough – if it slides easily you are good to go – if not, you need more nonstick cooking spray and cornmeal. Lightly brush the top of the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Using a fork, prick several holes in the crust to prevent bubbling.
- Bake for 12 minutes with favorite toppings then broil to cheesy bubbly golden heaven