I love pizza!

I have always loved homemade pizza dough.

If I were stuck on a desert island with only one food item, it would be homemade pizza.  There is just something about it.  Maybe, it is the memories of my childhood that make me love pizza so much!

Homemade cheese pizza

I remember my Nonna making homemade pizza dough; she would put the flour on the table in the shape of a volcano and then put a large hole in the middle where she would pour the liquids.  Then, little by little, in a circular motion, she would grab just a bit of flour incorporating it in to the middle where the party was happening.  Eventually, all the flour would mix with the wet ingredients and she would start needing the dough.  I remember how impatient I was during the process.  It felt like it took forever!  Thank goodness for Kitchen Aid!   Now, we don’t have to work that hard and still have great tasting pizza.

pizza dough 2

Place the yeast in a bowl with warm water and let hang out for a bit.   Add flour, salt and sugar to the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment.  Alternate, adding yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour mixture.  Mix until  combined.  Now, change to the dough hook and continue to knead on medium speed for approximately  8 minutes. I know this seems like an extra step, why not just start out with the dough hook?  The paddle just seems to incorporate the ingredients much better. Transfer to an oiled bowl (make sure the dough is also oiled), and cover with plastic wrap, I also place a few dish towels over the top of the bowl, and place in a warm area, until the dough has doubled in size (about 2 hours).

pizza dough rolling out 2 Punch dough down and split dough in half.  Form each into a round ball.  Cover and let each dough rise separately, again, for an hour.  Then, just roll out a dough ball on a lightly floured surface to your desired size and place on a pizza pan. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings and bake.  You will never order pizza from the delivery guy again!  Make sure you preheat your oven to 500 degrees or as high as your oven goes.

This is the recipe my Nonna made when I was growing up and so far, no other one I have tried comes close. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!

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Super easy pizza dough, just like Nonna use to make
Author: 
Cuisine: Italian
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Great tasting dough, easy to make!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 1⅓ cup room temperature water
  • 1 package of Active Dry Yeast
  • 4 cups flour + more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for bowl + coating crust
Instructions
  1. Place warm water in a medium size bowl, sprinkle yeast over top
  2. In your mixing bowl place flour, salt and sugar, mix to combine
  3. Add room temperature water to bowl with yeast
  4. Pour yeast water in flour mixture, alternating with olive oil
  5. Mix until dough forms, change to a dough hook and continue to mix for 8 minutes on medium speed
  6. Coat a large bowl with olive oil along with dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap or wax paper and let rise for about 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size
  7. punch down dough and divide into 2 dough balls and let rise for 1 more hour
  8. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
  9. Place dough on to a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired size
  10. Place on to a pizza pan, brush crust of pizza lightly with olive oil, add sauce and desired toppings and bake for 18 to 20 minutes depending on you oven
  11. Makes 2 medium size pizzas

Buon Appetito!