Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) warm water (110F to 115F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons Saf-instant yeast
- 3 1/4 cups (16 1/4 ounces) bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup (8ounces) water
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing.
Preparation
Step 1
Place the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. Stir to dissolve, if necessary.
In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and salt and mix briefly to combine. Turn the mixer on low speed, add the yeast mixture and mix to combine. Add the water and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface for about 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place it on a floured surface and cover with an inverted bowl, plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let rise at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
About 30 minutes before baking the pizza, place a pizza stone in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 f.
When the dough is ready, use a large knife or a bench scraper to divide it into 4 equal piecdes. With lightly floured hands, press out any bubbles that might have formed in the dough and form each piece into a small smooth ball. Place about 4 inches apart on a lightly floured surface.