Pizza Dough

By mutzali

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 3/4 c warm water (105 to 110 degrees)
• 2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Step 1

In a small bowl stir the yeast in the warm water to blend. Set aside until it the yeast dissolves about 15 minutes.

Mound the flour on a work surface. Form a well in the center of the flour and add the oil and salt to the well. Add the yeast mixture to the well. Working from the center outward stir the sides of the well into the yeast mixture until all of the flour is incorporated. Continue to mix the dough until a dough forms.

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky adding small pinches of flour if the dough is too sticky about 8 minutes. Divide the dough in two and shape each into a ball.

Lightly oil 2 large bowls and place the dough in the bowls. Cover the bowls with towels and let rise at room temperature until doubled about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and press 1 ball of dough on the work surface into a circle.

Continue to press and pull the dough into a thin irregularly shaped disk that is about 10 inches in diameter being careful not to over work the gluten in the flour by over kneading it.

Lay a silicone baking mat on a pizza paddle then lay the pizza dough on the mat.

Top pizza.

Immediately slide the pizza (still on the baking mat) off of the paddle and onto the hot baking stone in the oven.

Bake the pizza for about 12 minutes or until the bottom is crisp and deep golden brown and the cheese has melted and become pale golden on top.