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Pizza Dough Recipe

We love this easy pizza crust recipe. It's similar to an Italian Restaurant: Wood Fired Pizza Oven style.

Servings: 3 12 inch pizzas
Author: Kami | NoBiggie.net
Ingredients
  • 4 cups bread flour or pizza flour  (or all purpose flour)
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast (rapid rise or instant yeast)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon sea salt fine
  • 4 teaspoons granulated white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cups warm water temp: 110-115 degrees
For Working with the Dough:
  • 1 tablespoon extra flour
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Toppings:
  • 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese freshly grated
  • 1/4 cup pizza sauce (per pizza)
  • pizza toppings of choice
Instructions
Make the Pizza Dough:
  1. Proof the yeast: in a medium size bowl add the water, yeast and sugar. Gently mix the three together and then place a plate over the top to trap in the warmth from the water. Give this mixture a few minutes to bloom. This is a test to make sure the yeast is good and will work in the recipe.

  2. Place flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Pour in the oil and water mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon. Mix well to bring it all together so it comes away from the sides of the bowl.

  3. Sprinkle your work surface with 1/2 the extra bread flour. Scrape the dough out of bowl.

  4. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it is pretty smooth. Shape dough into a ball after kneading.

Dough Rise #1:
  1. Drizzle large bowl with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you can use the same bowl used for the mixing). Use your hand to get the oil all over the bottom of the bowl.

  2. Place the dough ball into the bowl, turn it over and rub the top of the dough with the oil.

  3. Cover the top of the bowl with cling wrap, then move the bowl to a warm place in your kitchen for 1 - 2 hours until it doubles in size. (This is rise #1)

*Optional Delayed Second Rise:
  1. This is an optional step if you plan to make the dough a day or up to 5 days in advance. After the first rise, refrigerate the bowl with the dough for up to 5 days (do not punch down). The flavor will get better during this time.

Dough Rise #2:
  1. Scrape the dough out of bowl onto the work surface that is lightly dusted with flour. Shape the dough into a log shape, fully deflating the dough in the process.

  2. Cut the dough into 3 equal portions one for each pizza crust.

  3. For each dough portion, shape the dough into a ball, tuck the sides under, so you have a smooth surface.

  4. Place dough balls, smooth side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, 4 inches from each other.

  5. Sprinkle the dough balls with a touch of flour and lightly rub the top to coat the surface (so they don't stick to a tea towel). Cover the dough balls with a lightly damp tea towel. Alternatively, cover loosely with a sheet of parchment paper then seal the tray with cling wrap, ensuring the dough balls have plenty of space to rise under the cling wrap.

  6. Leave the pan in warm place 1 hour until almost double in size. (If the dough is cold from the fridge, this will take more time: 3 - 4 hours).

Stretch the Pizza Dough:
  1. Preheat your oven to 530°F, OR as high as your oven will go. Put the oven rack into the top third position of your oven. Add a baking stone into the oven at this time if you have one.

  2. Sprinkle your work surface with 1/2 tablespoon of flour. Place one dough ball on top.

  3. With with a floured fist, deflate the dough gently and spread out into an 8 inch round. Use your hands to stretch the dough, working around the circle, until it's almost the size of a 12" pizza pan.

  4. Place the unbaked pizza dough round onto the pizza pan (or a floured paddle if cooking directly onto the pizza stone. Finish stretching it to fill the pan, so it's as round and uniform as possible. The shape you have at this point is the shape it will bake to. Leave the edges untouched for more of a puffy crust around the edge.

Pizza Toppings:
  1. Spread the top with 1/4 cup pizza sauce.

  2. Add 1 1/3 cups freshly grated mozzarella.

  3. Finish with the pizza toppings of your choice.

  4. Bake about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and it has some golden spots.

  5. Take the pizza out of the oven. Cut the pizza into slices and serve right away.

  6. Repeat process for the remaining balls to make two more pizzas.