Pizza Dough 101

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Homemade Pizza Crust, While you can order pizza from your favorite restaurant or buy a frozen pizza at the grocery store, there's nothing quite like making pizza from scratch in the comfort of your own home. And, of course, the foundation of any good homemade pizza is the crust.

Ingredients, The ingredients for pizza dough are relatively simple and few in number. You'll need flour, yeast, water, salt, and a bit of olive oil. While there are many different types of flour you can use, bread flour is the best choice for pizza dough because it has a high protein content, which gives the dough its structure and chewiness.

Yeast is what makes the dough rise and gives it its airy texture. You can use either active dry yeast or instant yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be activated in water before adding it to the flour mixture, while instant yeast can be added directly to the flour.

Water is the main liquid component of the dough, and it's important to use lukewarm water to activate the yeast. Too hot, and you'll kill the yeast. Too cold, and it won't activate properly.

Salt adds flavor to the dough and helps to control the fermentation process. A bit of olive oil adds richness and helps to make the crust crispy. Mixing the Dough Once you have your ingredients, it's time to mix them together. Start by combining the flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and olive oil, and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

If the dough is too sticky, you can add a bit more flour. If it's too dry, add a bit more water. Proofing the Dough After kneading the dough, it's time to let it rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour, until it doubles in size.

Shaping the Dough Once the dough has risen, it's time to shape it into a pizza crust. You can use a rolling pin or stretch the dough by hand. If you're using a rolling pin, start at the center of the dough and work your way out, rotating the dough as you go.

If you're stretching the dough by hand, gently pull it out from the center, rotating it as you go. Topping the Pizza Now it's time to add your favorite toppings to the pizza. Start with a layer of sauce, then add cheese and any other toppings you like. Be careful not to overload the pizza, as too many toppings can weigh down the crust.

Baking the Pizza Preheat your oven to the highest temperature it will go, usually around 500°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat as well. Otherwise, you can use a baking sheet or a pizza pan. Carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated stone or pan, and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Making pizza dough from scratch takes a bit of time and effort, but the end result is well worth it.