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Preview: Basic Pizza Doughby Dawn T in Rouxbe Videos This straightforward, light and crispy, homemade pizza dough is so easy to make, you'll steer away from take out.
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Step 1: Making the Dough
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To make the dough, add the lukewarm water to a large bowl, along with the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top and wait until it dissolves. Pour in the olive oil, sprinkle in about half of the semolina flour and half of the bread flour and stir to combine. Then add the remaining flours and the salt. Stir a few times to combine the ingredients. Use your hands to bring the dough together, and then turn it out onto the counter. Knead the dough for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until it feels and looks smooth. Portion the dough and form each portion into a round. Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil. Coat the dough very lightly with olive oil and place into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it slow-rise overnight in the refrigerator (or at room temperature) until double in size.
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Step 2: Shaping the Dough
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Place the pizza stone into a cold oven then preheat the oven to 450º degrees Fahrenheit. Let the stone heat for at least 30 minutes before baking your first pizza. Place a piece of room temperature dough onto a lightly floured counter. Press it flat into a round. Continue to press and turn the dough while stretching it. You can also hold the dough upright, rolling it between your fingers as you stretch it. The weight of the dough will help to stretch it. Sprinkle the peel with cornmeal. Gently transfer the dough to the peel and proceed with your pizza recipe.
Related Drill-downs |
Notes
The perfect dough is definitely a matter of opinion. We aren’t Italian, but this dough works for us. One thing we can guarantee is that preparing food from scratch for your family will always be better.
Whenever making dough or pastry, it's best to weigh the ingredients for optimal results. Being precise in your measurements, will ensure consistency and success.
It is possible to use active dry yeast in this recipe, just let it dissolve before continuing on with the recipe. Technically the “instant dry yeast” we used did not have to be dissolved first in the water. It could have been added directly to the flour. However, “active dry yeast” does need to be dissolved first in lukewarm water.
This dough is enough for 8 smaller pizzas (approx. 6” to 8” thin crust pizzas).
If you freeze the pizza dough, just let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Whether you freeze the dough or just refrigerate it, let it come to room temperature before you try to shape it. Feel free to use a rolling pin to roll it out, rather than stretching it by hand.
Refrain from washing your pizza stone with soap. Gently scrape off any baked on ingredients and lightly scrub with hot water.
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Comments
How would one use fresh yeast in this recipe? That's what I normally use for pizza dough, but without sugar.
When a recipe calls for dry yeast, you'll need to double the amount when substituting fresh yeast. For this recipe, you'll need 20 grams of fresh yeast (I would use a scale for measuring fresh yeast). You don't have to use the sugar, but this amount doesn't hurt the recipe. Just break up the fresh yeast a bit and mix all of the ingredients together as the video shows. You'll work it into the dough when mixing and kneading it.
Thanks Kimberley.
Is there any way you can replace the Semolina and Bread flour with just regular flour?
No problem, Vanessa. All purpose flour works just fine...the crust won't be as crispy, but as long as its thin, will work well. You can add a bit of whole wheat flour, or even cornmeal for that crispy texture...or simply bake a little longer.
Is it possible to use active dry yeast instead of the instant dry yeast used in this recipe? Thats all I have on hand right now.
It is possible to use active dry yeast...just let it dissolve before continuing on with the recipe.
Technically the "instant dry yeast" we used did not have to be dissolved first in the water. It could have been added directly to the flour. However, "active dry yeast" does need to be dissolved first in lukewarm water.
Good Luck! Wish I was having this right now!
I made this recipe tonight and it turned out wonderful and delicious! Thanks so much.
I've finished the first part of this recipe; the dough is now half resting in the fridge and the other half sitting in the freezer for another day.
A few things I learned:
1. Houston, where I live, is amazingly humid. (Recently, a friend told me that he knew he was in the South when he stepped off the plane and the humidity punched him hard in the face and stole his wallet.) Plus, it doesn't help that Hurricane Dolly is off the Gulf coast not too far south from here. The dough became VERY wet and sticky during kneading, and I had to add a bit of flour to the work surface, a wooden cutting board, to keep it from grabbing and sticking to the board. I realise you added no flour to knead, and kneaded on a metal work table, so I attribute the difference to the ambient moisture or change in flour characteristics?
2. I watched the recipe about 10 times over the last couple of days before making it. I don't have the computer in the kitchen, so I'm without the video when it comes time to actually work. In the printed recipe, it says to add half the flour, then add the remaining flour and salt, without the "stir to combine" in the middle. Didn't hurt anything, I don't think, but it did confuse me in the paper copy.
3. Any opinion on using a stand mixer for this? I know it's not a long time to be kneading, and the dough is very soft, but it's already late here and I'm curious to know if I can fall back on a stand mixer with a dough hook. I guess I'll have to make a few batches to compare.
Excellent!
- Mike
Hi Mike,
1. The environment can affect flour and baking considerably. This is why it is best to weigh your ingredients to obtain consistent results. One day there may be more or less moisture in your flour than the next. If you don't have a scale though, it’s no problem. Just be careful as to how much flour you add to the dough when kneading - just add a bit at a time until you get the right consistency. Many people think that dough shouldn't be sticky at all. I learned in pastry school that a "sticky dough is a happy dough" and it's true. Even though it may feel wet as you initially knead it, it will actually start to come together with time (unless, of course, it is extremely wet).
2. The text recipe has been updated to say "stir" after a portion of both flours are added. Hope this makes it clearer for our users. Thanks for that.
3. You can use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough, but make sure it is a powerful one and keep your eye on it. The motor can easily burn out on a stand mixer with low wattage, so be careful. Besides, the best way to learn about dough is by touching it. This is the only way were allowed to make dough in pastry school. Everything was done by hand and for good reason. To really learn about dough, you need to understand how it should look and feel. By practicing a few times the good old fashioned way will help you know what to look for when you move on to a stand mixer.
One more thing, when using a stand mixer, make sure to set it at a speed that will match your hand-kneading speed. Even though the machine will do the work for you, it should be done at the same rate. Don’t rush it.
Hope this helps!
Delicious!!! and really easy!!! i made this pizza dough last night and we love it at home :)
Im also really entusiast, happy and satisfy with the cooking school. Im learning a lot of new things and improving others :)
I really appreciate the quality from all your videos, these make it delicious to learn from you!
Admiring your effort!,
Juliana
I have now made this twice in the last 2 weeks, since reading your comment Juliana. I must say, I do love having the dough around, to have pizza whenever we feel like it. Once the dough is made it takes me less than 20 minutes to have a pizza ready....that's quicker than take-out. Lately I have been into the simple pizzas - tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil...finished with a drizzle of e.v.olive oil.
As for the cooking school, and your praise...well, thanks a lot! Much appreciated. Keep up the hard work! dawn