Homemade Pizza (with video link)

Happy National Pizza Day! To celebrate, how about trying this homemade pizza dough? It's delicious!

 

Link to my YouTube "making of the recipe" video: https://youtu.be/sBEGCzKs8vY

Original recipe credit: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/the-easiest-pizza-youll-ever-make-recipe

Recipe as presented below contains my modifications. 

Ingredients:

1 T. sugar

1 T. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 T. salt

2 c. water (95-105°F)

2 T. olive oil (optional)

660g (5 1/2 c.) unbleached all-purpose flour (you may need slightly more)

2 T. King Arthur pizza seasoning (optional)

pizza sauce and toppings

 

Directions:

 

1. Add the sugar, yeast, salt, and oil to the water. Stir to dissolve/combine (it will not really fully 'dissolve', will look more like an oily mixture of sorts (see the video)). Set aside.

 

2. Put the flour in a large bowl and add the pizza seasoning, stir to combine.

 

3. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl and begin mixing with a spoon. Once it starts to become a shaggy dough, switch to kneading together to combine. If it is not coming together, add a little bit of flour at a time until you have a dough forming.

 

4. Place dough on a floured surface and knead for 7-10 minutes, until a smooth and elastic dough consistency is achieved (should easily form into a ball and hold shape).

 

5. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it. If you have a 'bread proof' setting on your oven (like I do), turn that on and pop it in there for 15 minutes, then shut off the setting and leave it there for 45 more minutes (1 hour total). Otherwise, let proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until it has doubled in size. 

 

6. Heat oven to 450°F.

7. Press into the dough to gently deflate it, then divide it into 3 or 4 portions (depending on how thick of crusts desired and size of your pizza pans; I went 3, as we have pans that are 13" and bigger).

 

8. Lightly oil your pizza pans, then press/work the dough to an even thickness all over, until you have reached the thickness you desire.

 

9. Top with pizza sauce and toppings of your choice. Transfer to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes (longer for thicker crusts and/or more toppings).

 

10. Upon removing from oven, transfer to a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!