2 teaspoons active dry yeast, hydrated in 1/4 cup warm water
(allow this to sit for 2 or 3 minutes)
4 cups flour (bread flour, all purpose, OO)**
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups warm water, about 90º-100°
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Hydrate yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water first.
Measure flour and salt into mixing bowl. In a glass measuring cup, mix 1 1/2 cup warm water, olive oil, honey and hydrated yeast. Let sit for a couple of minutes. Add to flour and stir (I like a rubber spatula) until dough takes on a shaggy appearance.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic-about 5 minutes, sprinkling in a little flour as needed.
Place in a large lightly oiled container. Cover with plastic and leave in a warm location-about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide into desired portions and roll gently into balls. I like to “mushroom” them, turning the bottom of the ball into the center, forming a nice, smooth, rounded top. It doesn’t matter what the bottom of the ball looks like. Place the balls into a proofing box with a lid or on a oiled sheet pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough ball to rest for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 475º-500º. If you have a pizza stone, put it in to preheat. You can also place a sheet pan (upside down) in the oven during preheat and cook pizzas on that. Both of these help you to get a crisp crust–cooking from the bottom up.
When ready to make pizzas, flatten ball with your fingers or the palm of your hand to an even thickness and then stretch edges with fingers at 12 and 3 o’clock, gently stretching to desired thickness. Let the weight of the pizza dough hang to gently stretch the dough. You might place each pizza round on a sheet of parchment, then top and bake until lightly browned and bubbly. The parchment will help you to pick up the pizza and place on stone or sheet pan as well as help you remove it.
Alternately, to grill pizzas, preheat grill to high. Scrub grate clean when hot and lightly swab with an oil coated rag. Once pizza doughs are pulled into shape, grill untopped pizza dough on one side for 2-3 minutes or until nicely browned and slightly puffy. Remove from grill and place toppings on browned side. Return to grill and cook on the unbaked side for another 2-3 minutes or to desired doneness.
** bread flour makes a sturdy, muscular dough
all purpose flour makes a softer, workable dough
Italian OO flour makes a dough that can be rolled quite thin
whole grain flours add texture and fiber
