Basic Pizza Dough—By Machine

Recipe by: Elizabeth Karmel, Bob Blumer | from Pizza on the Grill

Cookstr

Total Time: Under 1 Hour

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph DeLeo

This recipe is so fast that you can start it when you get home from work and be grilling your pizza 30 minutes later. It can be made in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a food processor.

Yield: Makes enough for 2 pizza crusts

INGREDIENTS

1 cup lukewarm water
¼ cup olive oil, plus extra for oiling bowl
1¼ teaspoons sugar or honey
1 package rapid-rise yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
3 cups bread flour or all purpose flour, plus extra as needed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt

Directions

If your kitchen is cool, preheat the oven to 150°F or the lowest setting.

Pour the water into the work bowl of a large food processor or stand mixer. Sprinkle the oil, sugar, and yeast over the water and pulse several times until mixed. Add the flour and salt and process until the mixture comes together. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. (If it is very sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until smooth. If it is too stiff, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until smooth.)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball. Put the dough in an oiled clean bowl, turn it over several times in the bowl to coat it with oil, drizzle a little oil over the top, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot or turn off the oven and stick it in there. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 15 minutes in the oven or 1 hour in the warm spot.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead on a lightly floured surface for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Divide into two equal-size balls and proceed with your pizza making. (The dough may be made ahead, frozen for up to a month, and thawed at room temperature before using.)