How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza is something that Americans take for granted. Every town in America has a place where you can pretty decent pizza in no time flat that is not Dominos, Papa John’s, or Pizza Hut. And while I’ll never forget the “BOOK IT” nights enjoyed at the old school Pizza Hut in my hometown (complete with the signature Pizza Hut lamps and red checkered tablecloths), chain pizza is really not all that great. There was always that pizza place in town that was the best.

In good ole North Andover, Massachusetts, it was Sal’s Just Pizza. And maybe I am biased because you really can’t beat the pizza in Boston or New York. However the pizza here in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, sorry, but it is not making the mark. Your choice is pretty much Papa John’s, especially if you want delivery.

Granted, it did take me a year, but I finally have a homemade pizza dough that is good enough to not only devour, but also share with you. It only calls for 6 ingredients and active cooking time of only about 10 minutes (you have to let it stand for an hour or so, just FYI). So next time you’re craving pizza and your choices are limited, give this homemade pizza dough a try. This is also a fun meal to make with family and friends, so try it for your next pizza night!

Makes 1 – 14 inch pizza and 1 – 8 inch pizza. You could make 2 – 10 inch pizzas with this recipe or even try your luck at stuffed crust! Actually, you should probably make 1 – 14 inch pizza and one calzone. Extra pizza dough problem solved.

Tools Needed:

I am using my magical Prospero Mixer from Kenwood, but you could certainly knead this by hand.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 packet of instant yeast

2 teaspoons of salt

1 1/3 cup warm water

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Give it a quick stir to combine and cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add olive oil and flour and mix on low for 2 minutes.
3. Knead by hand or use your dough hook, for 5 minutes.
4. Cover and allow to rise for 60 – 90 minutes until it about doubles in size.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to your desired pizza pan and stretch the dough to desired size. Remember to make the dough pretty thin. This can become quite bread-like quickly if it is not thin enough. You may need to use a rolling pin.
6. Preheat your oven to 450F and top your pizza with desired toppings. Might I suggest a margherita pizza with sausage or Buffalo chicken pizza.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottom is crispy and the cheese is melted. Enjoy this with a wedge salad to pretend you are kinda sorta healthy!