My favorite Pizza Dough recipe!

     I apologize for such a long time since I posted a Blog! Today's post is special, it's one of my favorite recipes. For my favorite pizza dough! That's right pizza dough! I worked part-time at a pizza shop many, many years ago and became really good at making pizzas! I told my friend Laura I had the recipe and would share it with her! That was super Bowl Sunday! But at long last here it is!


4 1/2 cups          unbleached flour (preferable chilled0
2 tsp                   salt (maybe a little less)
1 tsp                   instant yeast
1/4 cup               olive oil
1 3/4 cups           cold water (really cold, like ice water)

     Stir the flour,salt, and yeast together in a bowl or mixer. If you have a dough hook, use that. Mix in the oil and cold water. Do this for 5 minutes or so. Switch directions a couple times to mix things up evenly. If the dough is sticking to the sides sprinkle in a bit of flour. If the dough doesn't stick to the bottom of the bowl and a bit (tsp) of cold water. (those last notes were for using a dough hook in a mixer). Mix should be cold still.The dough should be soft but not sticky.

      Put flour on the counter and your hands. Then put the dough on the counter. Cut the dough into 4 or 6 pieces and roll into balls. Put the balls on a cookie sheet that has been misted with spray oil and cover with plastic wrap. (make sure to put spray oil on the plastic wrap or it will be a pain to get off!) Put in the fridge and let it rest overnight.

     About 2 hours before you make your pizza, pull the dough out of the fridge and let it stand at room temperature. Then with a flour covered counter, stretch the dough out to the shape of a pizza! Small stretches as you turn the dough is the best method  I have found. If you cut out dough into 6 pieces then the pie should be about 12 inches in diameter.

     I use a pizza stone. I put the oven as hot as I can get it, about 500. I start the oven, with the stone in it, about an hour before I put in the first pizza. Corn meal on the stone keeps the pizza from sticking. Once the pizza is in, close the door and wait 2-3 minutes, then check it. You may have turn turn the pizza 180 degrees to bake evenly. After about 8-10 minutes the pizza should be finished. Lift the crust with a spatula to check the bottom for crispness. If the crust is crisp and the cheese is brown it's done! If the bottom gets crispy before the cheese and toppings are browned then the stone needs to go on a higher rack. If the cheese and toppings are browned before the crust is crispy then it needs to go down a rack. WARNING! The rack is hot! If you have to move it, PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

     I hope you like the dough! The olive oil makes it so soft and tasty! Some people use vegetable oil but I recommend the olive oil. For the best results. Any questions just post them here in the comments and I will respond as quick as I can!

     Thanks,
      Steven

P.S. The directions are the best I can remember. The measurements are right though, (I wrote them down) I have a quick sauce recipe too. It's a real good one that you don't have to cook ahead of time! Let me know if you need it.