I thought I was going to submit a post about how I make pizza but I became overwhelmed.  And then, it occurred to me that when I make pizza I am really doing two things.  First, I make the dough and then I make the pizza.  As a result, I felt the need to break this topic up into two parts.  So, this post is about making pizza dough and I will make a separate post about dressing up the pizza.

I usually approach cooking with a sense of whimsy, as if whatever will happen, will happen.  But making dough is a different thing for me.  I am not a baker.  I’m just a home cook that wants to make something tasty for my family.  So, when I step into a baker’s shoes, I get a little bit nervous. 

When I make dough I become serious.  If you have ever seen a Marx Brothers movie you might recall how the clown of the troupe, Harpo becomes very serious when he sits down, to play the harp.

That’s how I imagine I look as I start to make pizza dough.   Intent.  Focused.  Resolute.

But, I don’t stay that way for very long.  At some point, during the process I begin to relax.  Maybe it happens when I start kneading the dough.  The sensation of the soft, pliable dough under my palms and fingers gives me satisfaction and I feel like a kid again.  Maybe that’s why I used to bring my young kids into the kitchen when I made pizza.  They would stand on a chair, next to me, and knead the dough on the counter top and then they would help me roll it out into a wide circle and they would “paint” the pizza dough with tomato sauce, smearing the sauce with a large spoon grasped by their tiny hands.

Pizza needs to be fun.  Making pizza should be a celebration.

Maybe that’s what Harpo Marx felt when he spent time with his kids.

This recipe will make 2 large, 14” thin crust pizzas

Ingredients for the dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour (you will need additional flour throughout the process)

1 packet of Instant Dry Yeast

1 ¼  cup warm water

2 Tbs olive oil

Note: I use Instant Dry Yeast, which can be added directly to the flour, rather than Active Dry Yeast, which is added to warm water.  Either way is fine, but I have found the Instant Dry Yeast method to be the easiest and most reliable. 

Directions:

Whisk the flour and yeast together in a bowl.  Set aside.

Heat the water to about 100°.  You can do this in a microwave oven or just use very hot tap water. 

In a separate large mixing bowl, add the water and add about ½ cup of the flour mixture.  Whisk until smooth. 

Gradually add more flour and mix with a spatula.  Keep adding flour and mixing until all 3 cups of the flour has been added.  At this point, you might want to mix by hand.  Keep adding flour in small amounts and mix by hand until the dough forms a ball and does not stick to your hands.  The additional flour needed might be anywhere between ¾ cup to 1 cup…you will know when the dough is ready to knead when the dough ball becomes easy to pick up and rolls around in your hands, without sticking.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and dust your hands with a little bit of flour.  Knead for about two minutes.  You should feel the dough becoming more pliable and supple. 

Put the dough ball back into the mixing bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Some people suggest covering with a damp towel but I prefer sealing it with the foil.

Put the bowl in a proofing cabinet and allow the dough to rise for at least a half hour. Oh, what’s that?  You don’t have a proofing cabinet?  Well, neither do I.  In warmer months, I put the bowl on the seat of my pickup truck and roll up the windows.  It works perfectly.  The dough should double in size within a half hour to an hour.

When I made pizza today the outside temperature was 91° with 64% humidity (heat index at 105°), which is perfect for dough that needs to rise but is miserable for anyone wanting to mow their lawn…which is why I chose to make pizza today, instead of mowing the lawn!

During cooler months, I set the bowl on my stove top and set the oven at 250°

I prepare the pizza toppings while the dough rises but I will skip that part for now…

When the dough has risen, heat the oven to 400°. 

At this point, I should mention that I use a standard, conventional oven.  In fact, my oven broiler stopped working over a year ago but the rest of the oven works just fine.  Since I don’t have a pizza oven, or any other fancy trappings, I use a two-bake method for the pizza dough.  I bake the dough first and then add toppings and bake again, to finish.  I use insulated aluminum cookie sheets…no fancy pizza stones, or perforated pizza pans for me!

Divide the dough in half and turn out one of the halves onto a lightly floured surface.  It’s time to get a feel for the dough again.  Roll the dough and knead it.  The dough will probably be a little sticky.  Add some flour and knead.  Bring the dough back to a silky and pliable consistency.  It should be easy to handle and feel sturdy, but not dense, or hard. 

Pat the dough down into a disc, with your hands.  Press the dough out and widen it.  Add a little more flour to the work surface and flip the disc over.  Press it again with your hands.  When you feel that the dough is ready, roll it out with a rolling pin.  If the dough falls apart or if you feel that something isn’t right, don’t worry.  Pick it up and start again.  Roll the dough out enough so that it is just a bit larger than your baking sheet.  (I have done this up to three times, just to get it right).  Gently fold the dough over in half and pick it up and place it on the backing sheet.  Unfold the dough onto the sheet and center it as best as you can.  It’s tricky work, to be sure.

Curl the edges of the dough with your fingers.  It’s not necessary but I like to have a definable crust.

Pic

Repeat the process with the other half of the dough and then, place both cookie sheets in the hot oven.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Take the pizza crusts out and flip them over.  Brush a little olive oil on the back side of the pizza crust and bake for a few more minutes.  This will give you a nice, crisp crust.

We’ll make some pizza next time…