Homemade Pizza with Versatile Dough
Homemade Pizza with Versatile Dough
Ingredients
For the Versatile Pizza Dough
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 1 3/4 tablespoons salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided, for oiling bowl and hands
- 1/2 cup semolina flour, for dusting surfaces
For Pizza Assembly (per pizza)
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, as needed
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large stand mixer bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, water, salt, and active dry yeast. Attach the dough hook and mix/knead on low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and form a cohesive, slightly sticky dough, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, clean bowl. Lightly wet your hands with water or a little olive oil to handle the sticky dough. Transfer the kneaded dough from the mixer into the oiled bowl, turning it to ensure it's coated with oil on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for approximately 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size (this is the bulk fermentation).
⏱️ 120 min
- 4
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air. Lightly wet your hands again and pull sections of the dough from the main mass. Portion the dough into 200g to 250g (approximately 7-9 ounce) pieces. This recipe yields enough dough for about 6-8 pizzas.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
To shape each portion into a smooth ball, gently tuck the edges of the dough underneath itself and pinch the seams together at the bottom. Place a small amount of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) on a clean countertop. Place a dough ball on the oiled surface and, using cupped hands, drag the dough ball back and forth across the counter. This action creates surface tension and forms a perfectly round, smooth ball with no visible seams.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Dust a large baking tray generously with semolina flour (or a 50/50 mix of semolina and all-purpose flour). Arrange the shaped dough balls on the dusted tray, leaving space between them. Dust the tops of the dough balls with more semolina flour. Cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough balls rise again until they are puffy and ready to be stretched, about 1 hour.
⏱️ 65 min
- 7
Preheat your pizza oven according to manufacturer instructions, or preheat your home oven with a pizza stone inside to 550°F (or its highest setting) for at least 30-60 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 550
- 8
Dust your countertop with the semolina/flour mixture. Take one proofed dough ball and place it on the dusted surface. Gently press the center of the dough with your fingertips, working outwards and leaving a small border for the crust. Carefully pick up the dough and toss it back and forth between your hands, rotating it to stretch it into a thin, round circle, about 10-12 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Dust a wooden pizza peel generously with the semolina/flour mixture to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer the stretched pizza dough onto the prepared peel. Quickly spread tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the crust bare. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Add any other desired toppings.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Carefully slide the assembled pizza from the peel into the preheated pizza oven or onto the hot pizza stone in your home oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and puffy, and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly charred in spots, typically 2-4 minutes in a pizza oven or 5-8 minutes in a home oven. Use the pizza peel to rotate the pizza periodically to ensure even cooking and browning.
⏱️ 7 min•🌡️ 550
- 11
Remove the cooked pizza from the oven using the peel. Transfer to a cutting board or serving tray. Cut into slices using a pizza cutter and serve immediately. Repeat steps 8-11 for remaining dough balls.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Pizza with Versatile Dough
Ingredients
For the Versatile Pizza Dough
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 1 3/4 tablespoons salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided, for oiling bowl and hands
- 1/2 cup semolina flour, for dusting surfaces
For Pizza Assembly (per pizza)
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, as needed
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large stand mixer bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, water, salt, and active dry yeast. Attach the dough hook and mix/knead on low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and form a cohesive, slightly sticky dough, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, clean bowl. Lightly wet your hands with water or a little olive oil to handle the sticky dough. Transfer the kneaded dough from the mixer into the oiled bowl, turning it to ensure it's coated with oil on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for approximately 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size (this is the bulk fermentation).
⏱️ 120 min - 4
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air. Lightly wet your hands again and pull sections of the dough from the main mass. Portion the dough into 200g to 250g (approximately 7-9 ounce) pieces. This recipe yields enough dough for about 6-8 pizzas.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
To shape each portion into a smooth ball, gently tuck the edges of the dough underneath itself and pinch the seams together at the bottom. Place a small amount of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) on a clean countertop. Place a dough ball on the oiled surface and, using cupped hands, drag the dough ball back and forth across the counter. This action creates surface tension and forms a perfectly round, smooth ball with no visible seams.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Dust a large baking tray generously with semolina flour (or a 50/50 mix of semolina and all-purpose flour). Arrange the shaped dough balls on the dusted tray, leaving space between them. Dust the tops of the dough balls with more semolina flour. Cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough balls rise again until they are puffy and ready to be stretched, about 1 hour.
⏱️ 65 min - 7
Preheat your pizza oven according to manufacturer instructions, or preheat your home oven with a pizza stone inside to 550°F (or its highest setting) for at least 30-60 minutes.
⏱️ 45 min•🌡️ 550 - 8
Dust your countertop with the semolina/flour mixture. Take one proofed dough ball and place it on the dusted surface. Gently press the center of the dough with your fingertips, working outwards and leaving a small border for the crust. Carefully pick up the dough and toss it back and forth between your hands, rotating it to stretch it into a thin, round circle, about 10-12 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Dust a wooden pizza peel generously with the semolina/flour mixture to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer the stretched pizza dough onto the prepared peel. Quickly spread tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the crust bare. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Add any other desired toppings.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Carefully slide the assembled pizza from the peel into the preheated pizza oven or onto the hot pizza stone in your home oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and puffy, and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly charred in spots, typically 2-4 minutes in a pizza oven or 5-8 minutes in a home oven. Use the pizza peel to rotate the pizza periodically to ensure even cooking and browning.
⏱️ 7 min•🌡️ 550 - 11
Remove the cooked pizza from the oven using the peel. Transfer to a cutting board or serving tray. Cut into slices using a pizza cutter and serve immediately. Repeat steps 8-11 for remaining dough balls.
⏱️ 3 min