Pizza Dough

A couple months ago I decided to try making my own pizza dough from scratch.  I usually would just buy the pre-made dough at the grocery store but I’m never going back to grocery store dough again, unless I’m in a serious time crunch.

Making your own dough is really easy, it just takes time so you have to plan ahead.  Even with the time commitment, its so worth it for that crispy, crunch crust!

I use Bobby flay’s recipe but always use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. The bread flour is suppose to make the crust crispier but I think its pretty darn crispy with all-purpose.  Although I do find that the dough is more crisp when I make it in Colorado where its much drier compared to back home in Massachusetts where its more humid. I think if I make it again in MA, I’ll add a bit more flour to get the consistency a little drier.

The only way you could mess this recipe up is to not use the right temperature water.  I recommend using a candy thermometer to make sure your water isn’t too hot or too cold. If you use water that is too hot, you’ll kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise. If you use water thats too cold, you won’t activate the yeast and again, the dough won’t rise.

The original recipe calls for making the dough in a stand mixer. I (sadly) do not own one of those wonderful gadgets so I make it the old fashioned way, mixing with a spoon and then kneading the dough by hand.  Here’s a nice tutorial video on kneading if you haven’t done it before.

HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH (Recipe from Bobby Flay)

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 envelope or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups very warm water (110-115 degrees F)
• 2 tbsp olive oil plus 2 tbs

 

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix together with a large spoon.

If you’re lucky enough to have a stand mixer, follow the instructions on Bobby’s recipe. Otherwise, if you’re doing the old fashioned way, keep following along here:

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the measured hot water. While stirring the dry ingredients, slowly add the water and oil, a few tablespoons at a time, fully incorporating with the dry ingredients each time. When the dough starts to come together into a ball, set down the spoon and start using your hands.  This is the fun part!  You don’t even need to move the dough to the counter to knead it (I’m all about dirtying less bowls). Hopefully your bowl is big enough and you can just use the same kneading motion you would on a counter and press the dough into the side of your bowl.

Knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes until it is one smooth looking mass.

If the dough easily sticks to your hands or the side of the bowl, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time until it peels of your hands and the bowl easily.  Dough that is too wet will be harder to stretch and won’t be as crispy.

Once you get a nice smooth ball, place it on a piece of plastic wrap while you clean and dry the bowl you were just using.  Use the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to coat the sides of the bowl and place the dough back into the bowl.

Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm (room temp or slightly warmer) area for about an hour. The dough should about double in size.

Once risen, you can use the dough immediately or freeze it in a gallon freezer bag to use another time.

Makes enough dough for two cookie sheet pizzas.