If there’s one thing that brings people together, it’s the amazing aroma of freshly baked pizza. And what’s the secret behind a perfect pizza? It all starts with the foundation - the dough. Today, I’m excited to share with you my tried and tested pizza dough recipe that will elevate your homemade pizza game to a whole new level!
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Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup starter
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 Tbs salt
1 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs olive oil
Method:
Begin by combining the warm water, starter, bread flour, salt, sugar, and olive oil in a bowl. Give it all a good mix with a fork until the dough starts to come together.
Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes in a process called autolyse. This step allows the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a better texture and flavor.
After the autolyse, it’s time to get your hands dirty! Hand knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Embrace the tactile experience of working the dough.
Now, perform a single stretch and fold, forming a smooth ball, and let the dough rise. This simple technique helps develop the gluten structure, essential for that perfect chewiness in your pizza crust.
Allow the dough to bulk rise until it doubles in size (3-6 hours). This is when the magic of fermentation happens, enhancing the flavor profile of your pizza dough.
Divide the dough into two equal sizes. Gently form each of these sections into smooth dough ball, preserving as many of the large bubbles as possible! Let rise again until each of the dough balls have doubled in size (1-2 hours).
Shape the dough into your desired pizza size, add your favorite toppings, and bake to bubbly perfection!
Tip: To get that perfect crust flavor and texture I like to bake my pizza at the highest temperature possible. Most ovens can get up 500 or 600 fahrenheit. One thing that helps with this is using a pre-heated pizza stone or cast iron skillet.
Please note: The all-important starter in this recipe provides that unique sourdough tang to your pizza dough. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, don’t worry - here’s a variation for you:
Variation - Using Dry Active Yeast:
Replace the 1/2 cup starter with 1 packet of dry active yeast, and reduce bread flour to 1 1/4 cup.
Mix the yeast with the warm water and sugar, then allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Proceed with the recipe as usual. Yeast doughs don't typically benefit as much from the autolyse phase, but it still helps with getting a smooth and elastic dough before the bulk rise.
Whether you opt for the tang of a sourdough starter or the convenience of dry active yeast, this pizza dough recipe promises a delicious homemade pizza experience like no other. So, gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to create pizza perfection in the comfort of your own kitchen!
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