Perfect Pizza Dough

 

Perfect Pizza Dough

This recipe makes enough dough for 4 large rectangular pizzas or 8 round pizzas about 20cm in diameter. If you don't need it all you can freeze the rest of the raw dough to use another day.

I use my kitchen aide to make the dough. I roll the divided dough between baking paper and sit them to rise on a flat surface. Do not stack them.

I've frozen excess dough and defrosted for use.

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp dry yeast

5 cups high-grade flour, plus extra for kneading

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

Method

STEP 1

Place water and sugar in a large mixing bowl or an electric mixer with a dough hook and stir to dissolve.

Sprinkle yeast over the top and allow to stand in a warm place for 10 minutes.

STEP 2

Mix in flour, oil, and salt until evenly combined, working to form a soft dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface (use as little flour as possible) or with the dough hook for 5 minutes until smooth and a little sticky.

We often throw the dough onto the bench several times to get the gluten working.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean teatowel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes).

STEP 3

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into a log shape and cut into 4 even pieces.

Roll into balls and leave to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

STEP 4

Preheat oven to 240°C and cut baking paper to fit 4 pizza stones or oven trays.

Place pizza stones or oven trays in the oven to preheat.

Place baking paper on the bench and roll out a ball of dough on top of each to form a rectangle about 35cm x 28cm.

Add toppings, then slide, still on the baking paper, onto the preheated pizza stones or oven trays.

Bake until base is golden and crispy (10-12 minutes).