Crusty Pizza Dough – Simple and Easy

CRUSTY PIZZA DOUGH – SIMPLE and easy

1 package active dry yeast

½ tsp honey or sugar

1 cup warm water (110 F / 43 C)

2 tsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

2 ½ to 3 ½ cups flour

(“Caputo 00 bread flour”- soft wheat flour, OR King Arthur, All-Purpose Flour, Unbleached. This is the gold standard of pizza flours. You can also use All-purpose flour- mostly good for everything – only thing –it can be a bit harder to stretch out!

DIRECTIONS

Dissolve yeast, with honey or sugar in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add salt, olive oil and 2 ½ cups flour. Attach dough hook and bowl to mixer. Turn on Speed 2, for 1 minute. Add remaining flour,½ cup at the time and knead on Speed 2 – 8 minutes longer. (If mixing by hand, knead dough for same amount of time.)

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover let rise in warm place about 1 hour-until double in bulk. Rising times may vary due to humidity and temperature. Always cover the bowl with a towel to retain warmth and to protect it from drafts.

Punch dough down.

You can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, let the dough come to room temperature ( 1 hour) and then roll out onto pizza pan.

Brush pizza pan with oil, sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough across bottom pan, forming a collar around edge to hold toppings.

Add toppings as desired. Bake at 450 F (230 C)for 15-17 minutes.

Crusty Pizza Dough – Simple and Easy

TIP:

You can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, let the dough come to room temperature ( 1 hour) and then roll out onto pizza pan.

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