Pizza Dough

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (1 package)
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, (455g to 520g)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

• Place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (or 475 if that's as high as your oven will go) while preparing the pizza dough so it can be completely hot when you are ready to bake the pizzas.
• Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, there is no need to wait for the yeast to proof.
• Add flour, olive oil, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon or mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until combined.
• Knead for 5 minutes using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or 6-7 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic. The dough will be tacky and slightly sticky, but should still be manageable to work with.
• Drizzle a clean bowl with a little olive oil, then place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn it to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 ½ hours) until doubled in size.
• Divide the dough into 2 or 3 balls (or more if you want to make personal-size pizzas).
• Roll, pat, or stretch the dough out until it is roughly ¼" thick, then top with ¼-1/2 cup of pizza sauce, freshly grated mozzarella cheese, and other toppings.
• Bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy around the edges.
• Cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Notes

• After rising, the dough can be divided into smaller balls, then frozen for up to 3 months. Rub each ball with a little olive oil first, then place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag before freezing. To thaw, set the dough in the fridge overnight for at least 12 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
• This pizza dough recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just transfer it to the fridge before letting it rise. Remove from the fridge and let it rise for 1-2 hours before using.