Homemade Pizza
Pizza for dinner isn’t only for special occasions! Making pizza dough at home is easier than it sounds, and dough can be frozen in individual pieces to be used weeks later. This recipe is a modified version of the King Arthur Flour Pizza Crust recipe– my version is quicker and simplified, but the original King Arthur Flour recipe is delicious and more authentic. Be sure to check it out if you have flexibility in your schedule, or when you’re ready to take your pizza dough baking to the next level!
This recipe makes two medium pizzas with thick crust, one large pizza with thick crust, or up to 5 individual-sized pizzas, depending on how you divide the dough. You will need:
– 2 tsp dry yeast- active or instant.
– 1 cup warm water
– 2 tbs olive oil
– 3 cups flour
– 1 tsp salt
You can top your pizza with pesto, tomato sauce, and any type of cheese or toppings!
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If you are using active dry yeast: pour the warm water into a bowl. Stir in 1 tbs sugar. Stir in the yeast. Let the yeast, sugar, and water mixture sit for 10-15 minutes or until foamy. Then combine the mixture with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir to form a loose dough.
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If you are using instant yeast: combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to form a loose dough.
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Let the dough sit for 15 minutes. Letting the dough ‘rest’ before kneading helps absorb flour, meaning you’ll end up using less flour while kneading.
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Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a stand mixer. ‘Kneading’ means firmly pushing down on the dough on a floured surface. Imagine you’re giving someone a back massage! Kneading causes gluten strands to develop, which make the dough stretchy and the finished crust light and chewy. If the dough sticks to your hands, you can add a little more flour, but the dough will become less sticky the more you knead it.
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After kneading, the dough should be one smooth ball. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let the dough sit for 90 minutes. The dough will rise a lot during this time, which is called ‘proofing’.