Pizza Dough Recipes

Stir yeast and sugar into water, let sit for 8 minutes or so. In a bowl (or food processor) mix 1 3/4 cups unbleached all−purpose flour or bread flour 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the yeast mixture. If using food processor, continue running until dough forms a ball, 10−20 seconds. By hand, mix with a sturdy spoon until ready to knead.

On a floured surface turn out dough. Knead dough for 2 minutes or so. If dough is a little sticky, dust your fingers and counter with flour, (but as little as possible). Roll out by hand for a 12″ pizza. Place in lightly oiled pizza pan using your fingertips to press up to the edge and forming a shallow lip. Sauce, cheese, and top with desired ingredients.

Bake at 500F in pre−heated oven for 8−12 minutes, the edges will turn a nice golden brown when done. Dough will be firm and crispy, not soggy and soft like many other doughs.

In a large bowl, mix water with sugar and salt until dissolved. Add oil, and then flour. Stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn out to a floured board and press into a circle (it will be quite dry). Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for twelve minutes.

Divide dough into portions: 6 oz. for Cal zones, 10 oz. for 9 inch, 18 oz. for 12 inch, 25 oz. for 15 inch (This recipe makes about 34 oz. Adjust ingredient amounts for your purposes) Shape each portion by sliding your palms across the top portion of dough while curving your fingers inward toward each other and “tucking” the dough into the center. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom. Set formed dough balls on plate, cover with plastic, and allow to proof for 1−2 hours at room temperature to use the same day, or store in refrigerator to use the next day.

To stretch dough, place dough ball on lightly floured surface, and lightly flour the top. Use fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball. Work from the edges to the center. Place both hands within the shell edge and stretch with fingertips and palms maintaining an even pressure. Or, use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch to desired shape.

Cooking pizzas with this dough should be done on a baking stone. Using a pan will produce a very soft “doughy” crust. The stone in the oven should be preheated to 500F for an hour prior to baking, and should be placed in the middle of the oven. After stretching the dough, liberally sprinkle cornmeal or semolina on pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza in the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the stone easily. After topping the pizza, when you are ready to cook it, pick up an edge of the dough and lightly blow air underneath. This will loosen any sticky areas under the dough and redistribute the cornmeal. Shake the peel or cutting board to make sure none of the dough is sticking. Carefully slide the pizza into the oven.

Mix yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let rise for 15 minutes. Stir to deflate. Mix 2 cups of remaining flour with salt, 1 cup cool tap water, and oil. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour. Knead 15 minutes on a floured surface (10 minutes in a machine) until smooth. Place dough in bowl dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled (1 to 2 hours). Punch dough down and put in Ziploc bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 500F. Remove dough from refrigerator when ready to shape into crust. Punch down dough thoroughly and roll out dough on a floured surface. Lightly oil (olive) a 17 1/2″ X 11 1/2″ X 3/4″ pan. Place dough in pan and push to stretch evenly leaving a lip up against sides of pan. Let rest for 10−15 minutes (while you prepare toppings). Stretch out dough again (it will have receded) and place desired toppings. Cook in center of oven until crust is golden brown.

Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast. Stir gently until dissolved (about 1 minute). Let stand until the yeast foams slightly (about 5 minutes) to insure that the yeast is effective. Combine 3 cups of the flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and oil if you are using it. Begin kneading the mixture, gradually adding enough of the remaining 1/4 cup flour so that the dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic (another 10−15 minutes by hand). Shape dough into a ball and put in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it with the oil.

Let rise until doubled in bulk (45 minutes to 1−1/2 hours, depending on the yeast and the temperature). Punch down the dough and shape into 1 or 2 pieces. The entire recipe will make two 12 inch pizzas. Shape the dough either by hand or with a rolling pin, stretching out as necessary to achieve a thin dough. For a lighter crust, let the dough sit for a half hour after shaping before constructing pizza and baking.

Place zucchini in bowl and lightly salt. Let sit for 15 minutes and squeeze out all the water that is rendered. Roll in a towel and twist again. This is to remove all possible water. Mix with rest of ingredients in a bowl. Spread on a well−oiled baking pan and bake in a 350F oven until top is dry and lightly browned (20 minutes). Remove from oven, add desired sauce, cheese, and toppings. Return to oven and bake at 350F until done, about another 20 minutes.