Homemade pizza is delicious, but it can also be time consuming. Take advantage of a quiet evening or a weekend afternoon to stock your freezer with homemade dough, making any night pizza night. You can customize your dough with herbs and spices or whole wheat flour for a different flavor. If you make homemade pizza regularly, double every batch and you'll always have dough ready to thaw and bake.
Step 1
Combine 2 tsp. of active dry yeast with 7/8 cup to 1 1/8 cups of lukewarm water. Add a pinch of sugar and set aside until the mixture is foamy.
Step 2
Combine the yeast mixture with 3 cups of all purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp. of salt, and 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Mix by hand, with a stand mixer or using a bread machine set to the dough cycle.
Step 3
Move the dough to a clean, oiled bowl. Cover loosely and allow to rise for one to two hours, until it's quite puffy.
Step 4
Divide the dough for two thin crust pizzas. Pat the dough down and allow it to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Step 5
Roll the dough out, partially bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit or simply pat the divided dough into a round to prepare it for freezing.
Step 6
Wrap securely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze.
Step 7
Thaw frozen dough at room temperature.
Tips and Warnings
- Use less water in your dough in the summer or humid climates and more in winter or arid climates. Double or triple this recipe if desired, but check the capacity of your mixer or bread machine if you're not making dough by hand.
- Avoid over-kneading. The dough does not need to be perfectly smooth.
Things You'll Need
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer or bread machine (optional)
References
- King Arthur Flour: Pizza Crust
- "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"; Jeff Herzberg, et al.; 2007
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