Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

From: Cuisine at Home, Issue No. 56
Makes: 4 personal size crusts
Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

This has become a family favorite... we hardly eat pizza out anymore. I recommend "Hunts Tomato Sauce with basil, garlic & oregano" in the 8 ounce can for a quick sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in water in the mixer bowl. Stir in honey and let stand 2-3 minutes, or until the liquid begins to bubble. Add the olive oil and stir.
2. Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Use a paddle attachment just to mix, then change to a dough hook. Knead until the dough comes cleanly away from sides and clusters around the hook, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and briefly knead by hand. The dough should be smooth and elastic; when pressed, it should slowly spring back and not feel tacky.
4. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in warm spot to rise for 30-60 minutes. When ready, the dough will stretch when gently pulled.
5. Divide dough into 4 pieces; shape into balls, pulling down sides and tucking under as you work around the ball 4 or 5 times. To remove air bubbles, roll each ball under your palm until smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap coated with non stick spray and let rise another 30-60 minutes. (Dough can be kept in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with baking stone in oven to heat. 
7. Press dough out on a lightly floured surface. Turn the dough, pressing on its center, to gradually spread it to a 7-8" circle, or roll it out to 10-12" for a larger, thinner crust; press around the edge for a thicker, raised rim. Transfer pizza peel dusted generously with cornmeal or flour, brush dough with oil, then top. (If you don't have a peel just use the back of a cookie sheet to transfer pizza to the heated oven stone.
8. Bake in 500 degree oven for about 10 minutes.