how to Make Pizza Dough
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- Category: style life
- Published on Monday, 28 May 2012 12:36
- Written by sirmajid
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| how to: Make Pizza Dough |
Make your own pizza right at home! Not only is it satisfying, but you can customize the dough to make it exactly how you like it. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to learn the basics of making pizza dough.
The ingredients below are the basis for a standard crust. Experiment with the type of oil you use, and try adding herbs like basil, oregano, or rosemary into the mix.
1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (not hot)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Step 1: The Yeast. Put the yeast in a small bowl and dissolve in warm water. You’ll know it’s working when you see it bubbling up. Leave to dissolve for 5 minutes. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, as high temperatures will kill the yeast.
Step 2: Mix it. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, oil, and yeast mixture. Stir until a ball forms, using more flour or water as needed to get a ball that holds together but is soft and sticky.
Step 3: Kneading the dough. On a floured surface, form the dough by folding it over onto itself, pressing down, and giving it a quarter turn. Do this several times.
Grab the left side of the dough with your left hand. Grab the right side with your right hand and gently stretch that part away from you. Push it down gently on the counter with your palm and pull it back to you and fold it on top of the rest of the dough. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat these steps, being careful not to tear the dough while your stretch it. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes or until it has a smooth and elastic texture.
Step 4: Wait. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it sit in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size. This may take one to two hours.
Step 5: Shape it. On a floured surface, shape the dough into the desired size and thickness, making sure the edges are a little thicker than the rest of the crust.
Step 6: Add Toppings and Bake. Sprinkle a little cornmeal onto your baking sheet or pizza stone. Transfer the shaped crust carefully to the sheet or stone and add the desired toppings. Bake in a preheated oven at 425º for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden and any cheese topping is melted and lightly browned.