The Ultimate Pizza Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place the pizza stone on the bottom rack.
• Crumble the yeast in a small bowl then add 1/4 cup of warm water and the syrup. Stir together and leave for 5 minutes to dissolve.
• Put the flour and salt in a mixer fitted with a dough hook and give it a quick spin to mix. Pour in the yeast mixture, the remaining warm water and the olive oil at the same time, see Cook's note*.
• Spin on low until the flour and water come together and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Put the ball of dough in a large bowl and drizzle a few drops of olive oil on top to keep it from forming a skin as it proofs. Cover with a towel and leave in warm place for 30 minutes to let the dough proof. When the dough has proofed it will double in size and look spongy.
• For the topping: Caramelize the onions in a frying pan over low heat with a little olive oil and one of rosemary sprigs. When the onions are golden season with sea salt and black pepper and a few drops of lemon juice to bring out the flavor.
• When the dough has proofed, roll it out onto to a floured surface and punch the air out with your hands, then start shaping it into a circle When it's stretched out, dust a pizza paddle with flour and place the dough on it.
• Cover with a generous splash of olive oil and scatter with pieces of Robiola. Shingle the pancetta slices around and add the caramelized onions, and the stripped needles of the remaining rosemary sprig. Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and black pepper.
• Slide the pizza onto the stone in the oven (be careful the stone is 500 degrees F) and bake for 15 minutes. Shave white truffles over it. Eat immediately.
• Special equipment: Pizza stone and pizza paddle .

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix flour, semolina, salt and yeast. Make a dip in the middle, pour in oil, water, then stir and squeeze everything together (hands are easiest for this). The dough should feel very sticky (pic 1). When it is well mixed, cover and leave for 15 mins.
• Tip the dough on to a lightly oiled work surface and rub your hands and the inside of the bowl with oil. Knead the dough about 12 times only, giving it a quarter turn each time you knead. Tuck the ends under so it is the shape of a ball and lay it in the bowl, seam side down. Cover and leave for 10 mins. Repeat the kneading and leaving for 10 mins again, then knead and leave for 15 mins, oiling the surface and your hands each time.
• In between kneadings make the sauce for the topping. Drain the tomatoes and tip them into a bowl. Snip them into small pieces with scissors (pic 2). Stir in garlic, tomato purée, and seasoning. Set aside. Brush a baking sheet with oil and sprinkle with a little semolina. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• When the dough is ready, cut in half and put one half onto a lightly fl oured surface. Knead 4-5 times to squash out any air bubbles, then roll it out. At the point where it just keeps springing back, brush off the flour from the work surface and rub on a little oil. This makes it easier to roll. Continue to roll out until you have a 28cm circle, pulling it into shape as well. Lift it onto the baking sheet (it's easier if you drape it over a rolling pin).
• Drain the mozzarella, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Brush the dough with olive oil, then spread half the sauce over, almost up to the edge. Scatter over half the basil, then tear up one mozzarella ball and scatter over the basil (pic 3). Grate over pepper and drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 12-15 mins, until the topping is bubbling and the dough is going brown. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings. To serve, scatter with parmesan shavings, rocket leaves and drizzle with oil.

Steps:

• In a very large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Make a divot in the middle of the flour mixture and add a few tablespoons of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually adding more and more water until the dough starts to come together. You may need a tablespoon more or less water, depending on the consistency of the dough as it forms.
• Using your hands, ensure the dough is well incorporated, but do not knead. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
• Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight, or for at least 12 hours, until doubled in size and porous.
• Make the sauce by combining tomato paste, water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, marjoram, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before canning or jarring. Refrigerate as necessary up to 2 weeks.
• Once the dough has risen, transfer to a clean, floured work surface and form into a large ball. Cut the dough into 6 equal parts and form dough balls by folding the corners into themselves.
• Place the dough balls on a floured sheet pan, sprinkle with flour, and cover with a damp towel for about 30 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone in it to 500ªF (260ºC) or a low broil.
• Work each dough into a disk on a floured work surface. Knuckling the edges of the dough and tossing it gently will help thin it out. Be careful not to rip the dough.
• Place the dough disk onto a pizza peel generously floured with semolina or cornmeal. This will prevent sticking. Top with desired sauce, cheese, and toppings.
• Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for about 9 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn. Look for the edges to become charred and crispy and the cheese to bubble.
• Let the pizza cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Let stand until bubbles form on surface. In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and, if desired, dried herbs. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead, adding more flour to surface as needed until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes; transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before rolling.

Steps:

• To make the dough: Mix and knead together all of the dough ingredients¬-by hand, mixer or bread machine-till you've created a smooth, very soft, fairly sticky dough. Don't over-knead the dough; it should hold together, but can still look fairly rough on the surface. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes; then refrigerate it for 4 hours (or up to 36 hours); this step will develop the crust's flavor. Make sure you have the dough in a large covered bowl, or put it into a large, lightly greased plastic bag; leave plenty of room for expansion. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to rest and warm up a bit while you prepare the toppings. To assemble and bake the pizza: Gently stretch and pat the dough into the pan(s). You'll probably get about two-thirds of the way there before the dough starts shrinking back; walk away for 10 minutes. When you come back, you should be able to pat it all the way into the corners of the pan, or close to it. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes to an hour (or more, for thicker crust). Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the sauce in a thin film over the crust. Bake the pizza on the lower oven rack for 8 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and arrange your choice of toppings and cheese on top. Return to the oven, and bake on the upper oven rack for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned, both top and bottom. Check it midway through, and move it to the bottom rack if the top is browning too much, or the bottom not enough. Remove the pizza from the oven, and transfer it from the pan(s) to a rack to cool slightly before serving. For easiest serving, cut into squares with a pair of scissors. Yield: a dozen generous slices.

Steps:

• -Dissolve yeast and sugar in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes.
• -In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
• -Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well with a heavy spoon.
• -Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.
• -Working from the edges to the center, press dough into a 12" circle.
• -Place dough on a lightly greased pizza pan and stretch dough to edges.
• Add sauce and toppings of choice.
• Bake at 500 degree oven for 8-12 minutes or until edges are golden.
• Makes one 12" pizza dough.