Let’s start at the bottom and work up. Here’s the Diva’s recommended recipe for pizza dough–it’s my personal favorite too! I’ve included directions for making the dough by hand and making dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
Simple Pizza Dough
Note: Dough can be made up to one day ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2 cups (or more) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon honey (or sugar)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
By Hand
Proof (proofing is just testing to make sure it’s still alive–if it doesn’t bubble in the warm water, it’s no longer good) yeast by adding a packet of yeast to ½ cup warm water. It will bubble and appear frothy.
Place half of the flour, honey, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl.
Add yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is moist. Add remaining flour gradually, and stir after each addition. You MAY need to add additional water if the dough is too dry. (You can tell it’s too dry if it doesn’t stick together.)
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5 to 7 minutes, adding extra flour if needed to make the dough pliant. The dough should be relatively smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a bowl coated with olive oil. Roll and coat with oil. Cover with a moist towel and place in a warm spot for one hour (or until the dough doubles in volume).
Punch (punch means to use your fist to deflate the dough, starting in the center and then working around the sides of the ball) dough down and roll onto the floured work surface.
It can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Form dough into one large, two medium, or three small (personal pizza size) balls.
Pick it up and begin rotating it through your hands, pulling from the center of the dough out.
When the dough becomes relaxed, place it on a work surface and using a rolling pin to roll out the crust. The thinner crust makes a crispier pizza; the thicker crust is chewier.
With a Stand Mixer
Measure the flour and the salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Combine on very low speed with the paddle attachment.
Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry, and increase the speed of the mixer slightly to incorporate the mass.
Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with a dough hook if you have one. Knead with dough hook until the dough becomes smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.
Place the dough on a floured board and knead the dough by hand for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour to dust as needed to prevent sticking.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel; let stand until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Punch (punch means to use your fist to deflate the dough, starting in the center and then working around the sides of the ball) dough down and roll onto the floured work surface.
It can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Form dough into one large, two medium, or three small (personal pizza size) balls.
Begin rotating it through your hands, pulling from the center of the dough out.
When the dough becomes relaxed, place it on a work surface and using a rolling pin to roll out the crust. The thinner crust makes a crispier pizza; the thicker crust is chewier.