Monday, June 27, 2011

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

As usual, I don't know what it has taken me so long to share this recipe (original recipe from My Baking Addiction, combined with Baked Bree's method) with ya'll. This homemade pizza dough is my new favorite thing. In fact, I've made two batches already! It takes literally 1 minute to prepare and then you just let it rise while you run errands. The dough is so flavorful and the taste of homemade pizza is 1 billion times better (and cheaper!) than any frozen pizza or even Papa Johns- you will just LOVE it too, I know! Even if you've never baked with yeast before- please try it! You don't need any special tools except a rolling pin & some parchment paper (or a silpat mat).


The possibilities are endless with pizza. Use red sauce. Use white sauce. Use olive oil and garlic. BBQ Sauce. Peanut Sauce. Any of your favorite toppings. I made my own pizza sauce that was so easy and fabulous- recipe here.


I also LOVE a white pizza with olive oil, crushed garlic and white cheeses.



I cannot wait to try them all. The other wonderful part about this dough? You can keep it in the fridge for about 12 days- it freezes well too. Once you have the dough made, it only takes 10-15 minutes before you have a hot, fresh pizza on the table.



Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Makes 4 1lb balls of dough
Adapted from My Baking Addiction
  • 2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 TBSP granulated yeast (2 packets)
  • 1 1/2 TBSP kosher salt
  • 1 TBSP sugar
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 6 1/2-8 1/2 cups AP flour
  • cornmeal
If you're using a mixer, fit it with the dough hook attachment. If not, all you need is a large bowl and a wooden spoon.

Place all ingredients except flour and cornmeal in bowl and mix. If using the mixer, start on low (you should never go past level 2 with the bread hook anyway).


Slowly mix in the flour.


This is super easy with the stand mixer, but if you are doing it by hand, you may need to get your hands wet and work it in by hand towards the end. The original recipe called for 6 1/2 cups, but I had to use quite a bit more to keep my dough from being overly sticky.


After you put 6 1/2 cups in, keep adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until it pulls away from the side of the bowl. It should not stick to your hand completely when touched.


Once it is ready, remove the dough from the bowl. Spray bowl with nonstick cooking spray and replace dough ball in bowl. Lightly spray top of dough and over bowl with a towel. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled in size and rises and collapses on top.


Once the dough has risen, you can use it right away or put in the fridge. Remove from bowl onto a lightly floured surface (I like using my silpat since it doesn't slip) and form into a large ball. You can use a dough cutter to divide up the dough into portions for now/later if you like- make sure to lightly flour the rolling pin. A ball the size of your fist is enough for a personal pizza- just eyeball it.


Roll the dough out as thin as you can. I made my first pizza too thick, but I have since made it thinner.Once its no longer cold from the fridge, its easier to pick up with your hands and stretch out- you can even try to use your knuckles like real pizza chefs!
 
When you are ready to cook your pizza, preheat oven to 500. It will work best if you let your oven sit at this temperature for at least 30 minuets before you put the pizza in.

Turn a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan upside down if you don't have a pizza stone (the bottom heats evenly since there are no edges). Place your parchment on top. Spread some cornmeal on your work surface and place your dough pie on top. Press to make the cornmeal stick on the bottom of your dough. This helps keep the dough from sticking and makes your pizza taste extra good in my opinion.

Place on your parchment. Spoon sauce of choice on top and spread with a spoon, leaving about an inch around the sides for the crust.


Add cheese and toppings. Feel free to sprinkles with garlic salt and red pepper flakes- my fave.


Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until desired level of crispiness.


Enjoy!

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1 comment:

  1. Pretty impressive! And this actually looks like a "Real" pizza...whenever I try to make homemade pizza it just looks like a big sloppy tomato mess ha!

    ReplyDelete

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