Pizza, the ultimate comfort food, loved the world over but most people would rather have it store bought than make it themselves because of the hassle!! When most people want pizza, they want it immediately, no further than 30 mins and I get it, I get have those days too. No shame in that.
But aren’t there times you want to show off to your friends that you can make pizza all from scratch, from the dough to the cheesy melty pizza we all love. Yes? This is the recipe for those days, when your friends are coming over for dinner and you want to say, “whose hungry, I have some pizza in the oven”, may be get them to participate in making the pizza, add the toppings they like, place wagers on whose pizza will be tastier or show a combi they tried on some travel adventures. It already sounds like so much fun now, right? So let’s learn to make the dough first then get to the fun stuff later.
Pizza Dough
Print ThisTOOLS & INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
- 4 cups of All Purpose or Bread flour
- 1 1/2 cup of warm/tepid water around 45ºC / 105ºF
If you do not have a thermometer, test the water with your finger if it feels too hot it will be too hot for the yeast. To get tepid water add and equal amount of hot water and cool room temperature water.
- 1 packet of instant/active dry yeast -> Anything between 2 – 4 teaspoons of yeast
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoons of salt
- 2 tablespoon of olive oil
PROCEDURE
- Activate the yeast (Optional) .
If using dry yeast, you need to activate the yeast. I usually always activate the yeast because it ensures the yeast is alive and prevents the unrisen dough surprises. Sprinkle the yeast and the sugar onto the warm water, ensure the water is in a bowl big enough to allow room for the bubbling action. Stir and let the yeast activate for around 5 – 10 mins. It should be foamy and bubbly once fully activated.
- Add all the dry ingredients (salt, sugar and yeast – sugar and yeast if you did not activate the yeast) to a mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add in the oil and the water (yeast mixture if you activated the yeast) and mix to incorporate after each addition. Mix with your hand or wooden spoon until it forms a sort of shaggy dough.
Ps: You can use a stand mixer instead, it will be faster. Just add the oil and the dry ingredients to the bowl of the standing mixer and mix to incorporate. Then add the water or activated yeast mixture and mix on low until it starts forming dough. Once it forms a sort of dough you can knead it by with the mixer on medium speed for around 5 minutes until the dough starts pulling away from the bowl, or continue to the next step.
- Dump the shaggy dough onto a floured work surface and knead for around 10 minutes until you get a smooth dough.
- Lightly oil a bowl and toss the dough to coat with the oil. This prevents the formation of a dry crust on the dough.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and/or a kitchen towel and place in an warm place that is free from drafts to proof until doubled in size. It will take around 1 – 2 hrs to double in size depending on the temperature.
Notes
Use the dough after its doubled in size, punch it down and refrigerate it for 2-3 days (punch it down every few hours to keep it from spilling over). If refrigerating the dough, let it come to room temp before stretching it out for baking.
4 comments
Nice! Great work Salshine!!
Thank you so much 🙂
We should do this together. ..
Most definitely