Basic Pizza Dough

 

When my sons were little, we enjoyed making our own pizzas.  They were personalized with the toppings of your choice including pepperoni, lots of cheese, and believe it or not, chicken and potato (sounds strange but using alfredo or garlic sauce instead of marinara, trust me, it is one yummy pie!!). Top it with whatever you have on hand or leftover from a previous meal.  Great to make on a weekend night when you are looking for something to occupy kids or you need to nosh on something while watching a good show or movie on TV.

(Makes 4 10-inch pizzas)

 

5 cups of all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ¾ cups room-temperature water

(a little more if you need it !)

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir vigorously with a big wooden spoon.  After you have combined all of the ingredients, set the dough aside to rest for 5 minutes.  Stir again for 3 to 5 minutes, adding more water or flour if necessary.  You want the dough to be wetter and stickier than your typical bread dough.  It should be dry enough that it holds together and pulls away from the side of the bowl when you mix it.

 

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Brush or smooth the outside of the dough ball with olive oil and place it into an oiled container or bowl.  It can be placed into the refrigerator and kept for up to 3 days. (Longer than 3 days makes the dough tough !)

 

When ready to bake pizza, remove dough from refrigerator and let rise for 2 hours. Pick up the dough ball and gently stretch it into a circle, thinner in the center and thicker around the edges.  Set it on an oiled sheet and let rest for 5 minutes.  Spread ¼ cup of pizza or spaghetti sauce on dough, then top with your favorite toppings. Keep in mind that less is more when topping your pizza, meaning don’t overload it with a ton of stuff that will make your pizza soggy and bake unevenly.

 

Place pizza in hot oven at 450 and let it bake for 5 minutes.  Check it every minute or two until the cheese is melted and the dough looks baked and brown, usually between 7-9 minutes. Pull them out, slice, and enjoy !