Traditional Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS

4 cups white flour
1 tsb. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 packets dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
2 tsp. light brown sugar
½ cup white flour (for dusting)

METHOD

Measure ½ cup of warm water in a 2 cup container and stir in the brown sugar (make sure water is warm, not hot as too hot will kill the yeast). Dissolve the 2 packets of dried yeast in the water and set it aside for 5 minutes. Mixture will become frothy.

Sift 4 cups of flour and the salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a depression in the middle of the flour and pour ¾ of the olive oil and 1 cup of warm water. Add yeast when ready.

Dust your kneading surface with flour, then mix the ingredients in the bowl with your hands. Place dough ball on the floured surface if the dough is too sticky or wet. Eventually the dough will become elastic. Rub the inside of a clean bowl with the remaining olive oil and place the dough in it, coating the dough with olive oil by turning it in the bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size (1½ to 2 hours).

When dough has risen, divide into two halves, then roll each out on a floured surface. A round shape may be cut out with a table knife using a 12″ bowl or plate as a template. Sufficient for 2×12″ thin-crust pizzas, or 1×12″ thick crust pizza.

APPLICATION

Before filling and baking, form an edge around the outer rim of pizza dough to hold ingredients. Brush the inside area of the dough, not the rim, with olive oil and let the dough sit in a warm place and rise a little before filling.