Pizza Dough

Let me begin today’s lesson by saying one of the most uncontroversial statements anyone could ever make, I love pizza.  I mean let’s be real, is there anyone reading this right now that could honestly say that they don’t like pizza? No, I didn’t think so.  For me, one of my favorite ways of curing my weekly pizza craving (Yes, weekly!) is to whip up some simple french bread pizzas. However, as much as I love french bread pizzas, sometimes I need the real deal.  You know a pizza that’s made with actual pizza dough.

Now in my experience, you have three choices when this situation happens.  Your first option is to be a lame duck and buy that Boboli crap, YUCK! Your second option is to waste your hard-earned cash and buy some overly priced premade pizza dough, NOPE!  Or you could be a kitchen boss and go with option three, which is to make your own pizza dough, YES!

This is today’s recipe courtesy of my uncle Bill “Pizza Fanatic” Scullin

Seriously, I’m not just saying this because I’m going to be showing you, folks, how to make pizza dough.  Okay, maybe just a little. But if you are truly a fan of pizza then you should learn how to make your own pizza dough.  Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it also makes your pizza taste a hundred times better. Or at least that’s how I feel.  So if you are ready to step up your pizza game then let’s get to making our own pizza dough!

Tips, Tricks, & Suggestions

• The water needs to be anywhere between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit.  If it is any colder then the yeast will be slow to activate. If the yeast is placed in water hotter than 130 degrees Fahrenheit THE YEAST WILL DIE! 🙁
• You can freeze this pizza dough for up to 3 months.  Just cover the dough with a good amount of oil, and place it in a tightly sealed ziplock bag with all of the air removed.  Thaw the dough in your fridge overnight, and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before using it.
• This dough is also great for making homemade breadsticks.  Just separate the dough into 20 separate pieces. Then roll them out into thin sticks, brush them with olive oil, and sprinkle on some garlic and dried oregano.  Bake them on a cookie sheet at 375 for roughly 15 minutes.

Pizza Dough Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Rest time: 2 to 24 hours

Servings: 4 – 11 to 12 inch sized pizzas, or 8 – 6 inch sized pizzas

Ingredients

2 Cups of tepid water

1 Tablespoon of sugar

1 Teaspoon of salt

1 Packet of active dry yeast, should be 2¼ teaspoons

⅓ Cup of extra virgin olive oil*

4 Cups of all-purpose flour*

*You might need more of these two ingredients during step 2

Instructions

1. Mix water, salt, sugar, and yeast:  Get out a medium-sized bowl and add the salt and sugar to it.  Then add the tepid water and mix the ingredients until they dissolve in the water.  Finally, check the temperature of the water and add the yeast. Mix the yeast into the water and let it rest for 5 minutes.

2. Make the dough: Get out either a bowl or a stand mixer and add the olive oil and flour to it.  If you are using a stand mixer you will need to use the dough hook attachment. Then add in the yeast mixture and mix.  At this time if the dough looks too liquidy then you might need to add some more flour. Sometimes up to an additional ⅓ cup.  Just make sure that the dough is sticky, yet can be formed into a ball.

3. Let the dough rest: Get out a large bowl and grease it’s inside with some extra olive oil.  Add the dough to this bowl, drizzle about another tablespoon of oil on top, and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Let this sit out at room temperature for 60.  After the dough has risen to twice its size, punch it down. And by punch it, I literally mean punch it. One to two quick jabs should do.  Then let it sit and rise again for another 30 to 60 minutes before punching it down a second time. Lastly, let the dough finish resting in your fridge for 2 to 24 hours.

4. Let the dough come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before using it in either pizzas or calzones!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pizza Dough Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

rest time2 hours hrs

Servings: 4 12 inch pizzas

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of tepid water
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 1 Teaspoon of salt
• 1 Packet of active dry yeast should be 2¼ teaspoons
• ⅓ Cup of extra virgin olive oil*
• 4 Cups of all purpose flour*
• *You might need more of these two ingredients during step 2

Instructions

• Mix water, salt, sugar, and yeast: Get out a medium sized bowl and add the salt and sugar to it. Then add the tepid water and mix the ingredients until they dissolve in the water. Finally, check the temperature of the water and add the yeast. Mix the yeast into the water and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• Make the dough: Get out either a bowl or a stand mixer and add the olive oil and flour to it. If you are using a stand mixer you will need to use the dough hook attachment. Then add in the yeast mixture and mix. At this time if the dough looks too liquidy then you might need to add some more flour. Sometimes up to an additional ⅓ cup. Just make sure that the dough is sticky, yet can be formed into a ball.
• Let the dough rest: Get out a large bowl and grease it’s inside with some extra olive oil. Add the dough to this bowl, drizzle about another tablespoon of oil on top, and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Let this sit out at room temperature for 60. After the dough has risen to twice its size, punch it down. And by punch it, I literally mean punch it. One to two quick jabs should do. Then let it sit and rise again for another 30 to 60 minutes before punching it down a second time. Lastly, let the dough finish resting in your fridge for 2 to 24 hours.
• Let the dough come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before using it in either pizzas or calzones!

Inspiration from other blogs

From Sally’s Baking Addiction

From Sugar Spun Run