Recipe Details

Summary

Name: Traditional Pizza Dough 1

Category: Breads

1/4 c Water (110 to 115 F.)

1/2 ts Sugar

1 tb Olive Oil (Room Temperature)

1/2 ts Salt

1 1/2 c Unbleached Flour

Additional Flour

Additional Water

1/2 pk Dry Yeast

1/4 c Warm Water (110 to-115 Degrees F.)

HAND METHOD:

Pour the first 1/4 Cup of water into a medium bowl and add the sugar and

salt, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the water

mixture, stirring once to blend and let sit for 5 minutes until the top is

bubbly and the yeast has bloomed. Stir in the remaining warm water and the

oil. Place the flour in a large bowl and add the water and oil mixture to

it. Stir, adding enough flour to make a soft dough that will pull away

from the sides of the bowl. If it is too dry, add a little water a tbls at

a time.

Turn the dough out on a well-floured work surface, sprinkle the top with a

little additional flour. Knead until it become very springy, elastic and

very smooth. It should be light in weight, if it is heavy, you have use

too much flour and it will not raise properly.

Form into a smooth ball and let rest on the work surface while you wash

and clean the large bowl. Spray with a non-stick spray. Put the ball of

dough into the bowl and turn it over to get some of the spray on the top.

Cover with plastic wrap or a warm, damp, clean dishtowel. Let the dough

rise in a warm, draft free place until double in volume, about 1 1/2 to 2

hours.

If the dough rises before you are ready, punch it down in the bowl by

kneading making sure all of the air is gone. Turn it over and reshape it

into a ball and let rise again. If the top is dry, use a little olive oil

to grease it. You can punch the dough down and cover the bowl and keep the

dough refrigerated for up to two days before letting it rise at room

temperature.

For a thin, crisp pizza crust punch the dough down and turn out and spread

over a pizza pan or baking sheet or a bakers peel. Cover with filling and

topping, baking at once.

For thicker, softer pizza crust punch the dough down and turn out shaping

as above and then cover lightly with a clean dishtowel. Let rise about 30

minutes before covering with filling and topping.

Makes enough dough for one 12 to 14 inch round pizza, two 7 to 8- inch

round pizzas or one oblong pizza, or one dozen appetizer-sized pizzas.