Pizza dough
This recipes yields 3 12-inch pizzas. The crust is light and airy with a crisp outside. You can freeze uncooked dough for use later!
Servings 3 12-inch Pizzas
Ingredients
- 2 ½ c water
- 3 tsp yeast
- ¼ c sugar
- ¼ c extra light olive oil
- 6 c all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Whisk the warm water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
- Let rest until the mixture bubbles (about 5 minutes). If you don’t have a stand mixer you can use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough with a wooden spoon.
- Add in the olive, and the salt.
- With the mixer on low speed add in the flour to the bowl a half a cup at a time. This is a very sticky dough so you maybe need a bit more or less than the 6 cups *For this particular time I used 5.5 cups of flour.
- Once dough is fully mixed knead the dough in the mixer on low speed for 3-4 minutes. Dough should be sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Grease a large bowl and scrape dough into bowl.
- Turn dough to coat in oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and separate into 3 dough balls. Shape into balls and cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20-30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting preheat oven to 500º.
- Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin and place on a floured (or cornmeal) baking peel (if using a pizza stone in the oven) or a prepared pan.
- Brush the top of your rolled-out dough lightly with olive oil. Use a fork to poke holes in the center of the dough.
- We like to cook the dough a bit in the oven until lightly browned before putting the toppings on. You can put the toppings directly on the raw dough and cook, or brown the dough in the oven, take out and place toppings on and back in the oven to melt the cheese.
- Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.
Notes
*Freezing Instructions: Once the dough has risen and you have separated it into 3 dough balls drizzle some olive oil on the dough and place each dough ball in a separate plastic bag. Place in the freezer. When ready to use take it out 4 hours before to let it come to room temp. After dough has thawed place on floured surface, shape into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes (or while the oven is preheating). Cook according to directions above. Olive Oil: I like using extra light tasting olive oil, but any olive oil or vegetable oil will work. Yeast: My favorite yeast is Red Star Quick Rise Instant Yeast Water: Be sure your water is warm, if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. Around 105-110º is perfect. Flour: I use AP flour, you can use 00 pizza dough flour as well. I just always have AP in my pantry.
*I know that it seems like that is a lot of sugar for pizza dough, but I promise it’s needed. I have tried doughs with a little and no sugar and none of them compare to this one.
*Feel free to half this recipe. I wanted to make this recipe a big batch because we have pizza every Friday night and I’m always so thankful the Fridays that I don’t have to make dough because I have leftover dough in the freezer from the week before.