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Directions:
1. Activate the Yeast:
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir until the yeast dissolves and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy. This step is crucial because it activates the yeast, allowing the dough to rise. If the mixture doesn’t foam, your yeast might be expired, and you’ll need to try again with fresh yeast.
2. Mix the Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. If you’re using garlic powder, add it to the flour mixture as well for an extra burst of flavor.
Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the activated yeast mixture and olive oil.
Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon until they begin to come together. Once the dough starts to form, use your hands to bring it together into a ball.
3. Knead the Dough:
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for about 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking, but try not to add too much—just enough to keep the dough manageable.
If you’re using a stand mixer, you can knead the dough using the dough hook on low speed for about 5 minutes.
4. Let the Dough Rise:
Coat a clean bowl with a little olive oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl and turn it once to coat it lightly with the oil.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. If you want to slow down the rise for better flavor, you can let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Shape the Dough:
Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air bubbles.
Turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into two portions if you’d like to make two smaller pizzas or leave it whole for one large pizza.
Roll or stretch the dough into your desired pizza shape, whether that’s a traditional circle or a rectangular sheet pan pizza. Use your hands to stretch it gently or a rolling pin for a more uniform shape.
6. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) while you shape the dough. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats for a crispy bottom.
7. Top and Bake:
Place the shaped dough onto a pizza peel or baking sheet (you can lightly flour the surface if using a pizza peel).
Add your desired toppings—sauce, cheese, veggies, meats, etc.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
8. Serve and Enjoy:
Once your pizza is baked to perfection, remove it from the oven, slice it up, and enjoy the fluffy, chewy homemade pizza crust!
Tips for Success:
Dough resting time: For an even fluffier dough, let it rest for 10-15 minutes after shaping it, allowing it to relax before baking.
Olive oil for flavor: The olive oil adds richness to the dough, but you can also experiment with flavored oils like garlic-infused olive oil for an extra punch.
Thickness of the dough: If you like a thicker crust, let the dough rise a little longer. For a thinner crust, roll it out more thinly.
Flavor boosting: You can also experiment by adding Italian herbs (like oregano or basil) to the dough for extra flavor.
Storage:
Unbaked dough: You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Allow it to come to room temperature before rolling it out.
Frozen dough: If you have extra dough, you can freeze it. After the first rise, shape the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
This homemade pizza dough recipe is easy to follow and will give you a soft, fluffy, and delicious pizza crust every time. Enjoy your pizza night! 🍕
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