Pizza Dough

This is such an easy Pizza Dough to make.  You can make any kind of pizza  you like, Deep Dish Pizzas, thin crust pizzas and calzones too.  This dough makes 2 12-inch pizzas or 8 individual calzones.  What I normally do is cut it in half, use half for a deep dish pizza and the other half for about 4 calzones.

I love this dough recipe and it's the one I always make.   Make it early in the morning and have it ready for dinner time.  You can refrigerate the dough for a few days.

Once you make the dough, you have to put it in a greased bowl.  You will have to wait about 1 1/2 hours for the dough to double in size.  At that point you can use it or you can punch it down and let it rise again. 

The dough has doubled in size.  I punched it down and let it rise again.  By doing that the yeast enhances the flavor in the dough.  Now, you can make your pizzas or calzones with a fantastic Homemade Pizza Sauce.

Ingredient 

2 1/4 cups of warm water (110-115 F)

3 tbsp sugar

3/8 ounce active, dry yeast (about 3 1/2 teaspoons)

2 1/4  tsp salt

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

6 cups of all purpose flour

flour for dusting

extra virgin olive oil

In a large mixing bowl (or mixer bowl) place the warm water. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.  Add the yeast and lightly stir again.  Set aside for 10 minutes so that the yeast develops..you will see it turn foamy on top. Then add the salt and olive oil to the yeast water..combine.  Add the first cup of flour slowly, mixing good every time.  Then continue to add the remaining flour, one cup at a time.

Mix well so that the dough comes together and all the liquid is gone.  If you don't have a mixer with a dough hook, then on a lightly flour countertop start to knead the dough.  Fold the dough in half an press into itself with the heed of your hand, over and over again for about 10 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise for 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.  At this point you can use the dough or punch it back down and let it rise again.  Once it has doubled in size again is ready to be used.