Quick Rise Pizza Dough Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour with yeast and salt.
• Pour hot water and oil into flour mixture and mix well.
• Mix in remaining flour to make a slightly sticky dough.
• Form dough into a ball.
• On a lightly floured surface - or using the dough hook on KitchenAid mixer - knead dough for about five minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Cut dough in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. To make later, refrigerate the rounds of dough at this point. Bring to room temperature before rolling or stretching.
• Meanwhile, lightly oil pizza pans or sheets and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.
• Roll dough to desired thickness and transfer to pans, or place dough directly on pan and pat and stretch to desired shape and thickness.
• Let rise for 15 minutes, a little longer if you are making a thick crust.
• Add toppings.
• Bake in 450 degree oven for 16 to 18 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and oil, and stir until a ragged dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Knead with floured hands until dough is smooth, elastic, and tacky but no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl brushed with oil, turning dough to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, pour the oil through the feed tube, then add the water in a slow, steady stream. Continue to process for 2 to 3 minutes (the dough should form a rough ball and ride around in the processor). The finished dough should be soft, slightly sticky and elastic. If too dry, add a bit more water; if too wet, a tablespoon or so more flour.
• Lay a 12-inch-long piece of plastic wrap on a clean work surface. Work the dough into a rectangle on the plastic, about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide. Press your fingers into the top of the dough all over, making indentations as though it were a focaccia. Fold the left third of the dough over (as you would a letter) and repeat the indentations. Fold the right third over and make the indentations again. Cover the folded dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half, form each piece into a neat ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer. The morning before you want to make pizza, transfer the dough to the refrigerator to thaw.
• Bring the dough to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 550 degrees. (If you don't have a stone, oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.) Dust a peel or the greased baking sheet generously with cornmeal. Working with the dough in your hands (not flat on a work surface), gently begin to stretch the dough into a circular shape, pressing your fist into the center of the dough and pulling at the edges with your other hand. With both hands, stretch the dough, being careful not to tear it. Working in a circular motion, pull the thicker edges of the dough outward, letting gravity help you. Continue to stretch the dough until it's relatively even in thickness (the edges will be thicker) and you have the size you want. Carefully lay it on the peel or baking sheet.
• Top the pizza as desired and either slide it off the peel and onto your heated stone, or place the baking sheet into the oven. Cook the pizza for 6 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.