Ingredients
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more to oil the bowl later
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Approx. 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
You will also need:
1 large bowl for mixing
Fork
Whisk
Spoon for stirring, preferably wooden
Floured board
1 large oiled bowl (use olive oil) for rising
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Pizza peels or rimless baking sheets
Cornmeal for dusting the peels or baking sheets
Pastry brush
1 pizza stone (placed into oven and preheated at 500oF for one hour prior to cooking pizza) or a wood-fired pizza oven
Tongs
Instructions
To make the dough:
Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water in a large bowl. Stir with a fork to blend. Let stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly.
Whisk in olive oil and salt. Add 2 ¼ cups flour and stir until dough starts to come together. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (could be as much as ½ cup) so that the dough loses it stickiness. Shape into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl. Turn dough to coat with oil, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours.
To roll out the dough:
Lightly flour a board or smooth surface. Divide the dough in half for 2 large pizzas or in thirds for three medium pizzas. Roll out one piece of the dough starting at the center and rolling away from you, turning a quarter turn after each stroke. Don’t worry too much about the shape – having it an irregular shape will add to the appeal! Continue to roll out until the dough is about ¼” thick. Repeat with the other piece(s) of dough.
To assemble the pizza:
Dust a pizza peel or a baking sheet with cornmeal. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the dusted peel or baking sheet. You are now ready to add your chosen ingredients.
To bake the pizza:
Preheat pizza stone in a 500oF oven for one hour before baking the pizza. Or, if using a wood-fired oven, make sure that it is up to approximately 500oF (or higher).
Immediately slide the pizza from the peel or baking sheet onto the pizza stone. Bake until crust is crisp and browned, about 7-8 minutes in a 500oF oven.. Remove from oven and slide back onto peel or baking sheet using tongs. Add any finishing touches called for in the recipe, such as fresh arugula, truffle oil, finishing salt, etc.
Slice and enjoy!
Note: Recipe makes enough dough for two large or three medium pizzas. When just starting out, I recommend separating the dough into thirds after it has risen and making 3 medium pizzas.
