Best Pizza Dough

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Are you ready to elevate your homemade pizza game? This recipe for basic pizza dough is the best in my book. It’s versatile, easy to follow, and delivers a consistently delicious crust every time. Whether you’re a seasoned pizzaiolo or just starting out, this recipe will become a staple in your kitchen.

Let’s get started on creating the perfect foundation for your homemade pizza masterpieces!

The Recipe Intro↓ has more information, related links as well as Recipe Video. If you’d like to check it out.

♦Prep time:22min ♦Cook time:8min ♦Yield: 4Thin or 2Thick Crusts.

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Measure and add 1/2 cup of warm water (about  110°F/45°C) to a bowl. Make sure the water is only warm, not HOT – if the water is too hot it will kill yeast and the dough will not rise. The warm water and sugar help the yeast to become active.
2. Add the sugar and yeast to the bowl and stir. Set it aside in a draft-free area for 5 minutes, till it gets frothy.
3. Meanwhile, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Make a depression in the middle of the flour and add the olive oil and 1 cup of additional warm water as well as the ‘proofed’  yeast mixture. Start to mix this by hand, gathering it into the center of the bowl till it begins to hold together like a ball.  Drop this dough onto a clean, floured work surface.
4. ♦Knead the dough by pushing part of it, firmly away from you with the heel of one hand (stretching the dough in the process) and then folding it back towards you.
5. ♦Repeat with the heel of the other hand and fold back towards you.
6. ♦Then rotate the dough a quarter turn.
7. Keep repeating steps ♦4-5-6, using both hands and incorporating extra flour whenever the dough feels sticky to the touch. This takes 7-8 minutes.
8. Eventually, the dough will become elastic and will stay together in a cohesive ball.
9. Rub the bowl clean and add a little olive oil to the bottom.  Place the ball of dough in it and also moisten the top of the dough with a tiny bit of oil.
10. Cover tightly with saran wrap/cling film and put in a warm draft-free place to rise. The oven is the perfect place to let the dough rise – the ‘pilot light’ generates a little warmth and there are no drafts to disturb the dough. However, if you’re using the oven for something else a nice sunny spot or warm closet will do.
11. Leave to rise for 1 1/2-3 hours. I leave it for almost 3 hours. but this depends on the warmth of your surroundings too.
12. Preheat your oven to ((500°F /260°C). This will be lower if you have a pizza setting on your oven. Mine is set at (410°F/210°C). Preheat with a Pizza stone, place on a rack (near the bottom of your oven). Preheat for 30 minutes, so that the stone gets nice and hot. If you are using a regular pan, preheating 10 minutes is sufficient.
13. When the pizza dough has risen substantially, deflate the dough by gently punching it down. Divide into equal balls. (This makes 4 thin crust Pizza bases).
14. On a clean, floured work surface you can now start to roll out the pizza crust.
15. First, flatten each ball into a disk and then begin to roll with a dry-floured rolling pin. Roll it so that is about the size of your pizza stone. Lift and rotate the dough occasionally as you roll it out.
16. As it becomes stretchier you can throw the pizza crust over your fist of one or both hands. Throw it up and catch it with your first like this while rotating it in the process. This will give you a stretched-thin crust. Stop when it is evenly thin, to prevent any tearing.
17. Use a pizza peel, to slide off the rolled-out dough onto the pizza stone. Bake for 2 minutes without any toppings, till the crust puffs up.
18. Now you can add oil, sauces, and toppings of your choice and pop back in the oven for up to 5 minutes.
19. If you want to freeze the pizza crust, simply stop after step 17, separate the crusts(once they are cooled) with parchment paper, and freeze them in a large zipper bag. You must keep them in a horizontal position to prevent the crusts from cracking.
20. To see how I have used this recipe to make thin-crust Pizza (using half of this recipe) -Check out my pizza video here.

Best Pizza Dough

Notes:

• If you do not have a pizza stone, an inverted baking sheet of appropriate size may be used. Other options are cast iron pans, or heat-proof ceramic tiles, to get the same brick oven-style crust.
• If you do not have a pizza stone or pizza pan, you can always use a rectangular baking sheet/tray. Just roll the dough out into an oblong or rectangular shape, that nearly conforms to the dimensions of your pan.
• If the pizza gets rolled out of shape or you tear it, you can always roll it back into a ball and start over, just don’t add too much flour in the rolling process.
• If using a regular pizza pan, the dough should be big enough to hang over the edge – all around.  Slightly flute the edges in this case. I prefer this method when making thick-crust pizza.
• If you are making thick-crust pizza, divide the above dough into 2 portions instead of 4. In this case, you just roll out the dough, without any tossing in the air,
• Cornmeal is sprinkled on the pizza paddle (peel) or directly onto the pizza stone, to help it slide off easily. If you do not have cornmeal, you can use coarse semolina too.
• I use either Fleischmann’s or DCL brand’s Active dried yeast.
• To use frozen crusts, simply remove them from the freezer, defrost them, and then add oil, sauce, and topping and bake in the preheated oven.
• Some ovens have a pizza setting. If you have one make use of it at the recommended temperature. It gives premium results.

Key Ingredients: Flour, Yeast, Olive Oil, Sugar, Salt.

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