Great pizza starts with a great crust. Here’s how to make old-fashioned pizza dough at home.
Photo by Gina Moore
MAKES 2 LARGE (12-INCH) OR 4 SMALLER PIZZA CRUSTS
3½ cups all-purpose flour
3½ teaspoons pizza dough enhancer, optional
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups water
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, enhancer, yeast and salt. Add water, and using the handle of a medium to large wooden spoon, stir until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature* for 8–18 hours. Dough surface will be dotted with bubbles. This is a sign that the yeast is working.
Flour a clean, dry work surface and scrape dough onto surface. Sprinkle top of dough and hands with more flour. Using a bench scraper or hands, fold dough over onto itself—top, bottom and sides—and divide into 2 or four parts. Shape into rounds. Flour parchment paper, then place dough, seam side down, on parchment. Sprinkle tops of dough with more flour and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Let rise (called proofing) for another 2 hours.
To shape dough for filling, gently stretch into desired size and shape. Stretch a little larger than needed, as dough will shrink a little. Continue with your pizza recipe.
If using a pizza stone, be sure to preheat in oven at 500 F for 30 minutes. If not using pizza dough immediately, wrap individually in plastic and refrigerate up to 3 days. When ready to use, return to room temperature on counter for 2–3 hours, covered with a damp cloth.
*If your kitchen is colder than 70 degrees, put bowl in the oven or microwave.
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Tips and techniques
All about yeast. This recipe calls for instant yeast. If you do not make bread often, store yeast in the freezer. Yeast is a living organism. Freezing “pauses” it and extends the lifespan.
Check label for instructions. Instant yeast can be mixed in with flour and does not require activation. Active dry yeast needs to be activated with warm water before mixing with flour.
All about flour. Flour becomes compacted as it sits in the container. Stir flour with a whisk to aerate it before measuring.
Flour differences are based on the amount of gluten each contains. Gluten gives bread its elasticity. The higher the gluten, the more stable the bread. These recipes will work well with either all-purpose flour (8% to 12% gluten) or bread flour (11% to 14% gluten).
How to make a bread “wash.” A simple application of bread wash will help seeds and herbs adhere to the bread. Egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water) is common, but milk, cream or melted butter work equally well, especially for those with egg allergies.
Preheat, please. Always preheat the oven for 30–45 minutes prior to baking bread. Dutch ovens and pizza stones should also be preheated.
Working with dough. Keep hands well-floured at all times to prevent dough from sticking. Wetting hands with water or a little oil can achieve the same results.
Fermentation rules. While these recipes call for 12 hours of fermentation, it will not hurt dough to rest for a full 24 hours. Dough can be refrigerated for 3–4 days after mixing. Allow dough to come to room temperature before continuing at the proofing stage of the recipe.
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