KS Quotient
Super-Easy: A minimum of ingredients, mixed all at once. Easy hand-shaping.
This is a simple, easy to handle, and virtually foolproof pizza dough calling for the most basic and economical supplies—yeast, salt, olive oil, and all-purpose flour. Some recipes call for a high-gluten flour, but I like regular flour better. The flat, thin layer doesn't need the extra gluten for support and the dough is more tender and much easier to stretch and shape without it. Because relatively little gluten development is necessary, the dough also requires less "micro-kneading" time than usual. After 4 to 12 hours on the countertop, it is ready to use, refrigerate, or freeze until needed.
The recipe makes enough dough for two 11- to 12-inch pizzas. If desired, freeze one or both dough portions for up to a month. Use each dough portion for one traditional Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Pizza, or for another pizza of your own choosing. For your convenience, I've also provided my pizza sauce recipe, although you can, of course, substitute any tomato-based sauce desired.
Yield: 2 11-12 inch pizza
3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed
Generous 1¼ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
Scant 1½ cups ice water, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing over dough and pans
First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir in the water, scraping down the sides, just until thoroughly blended. Stir in the olive oil until evenly incorporated. If the mixture is too dry to mix, add in just enough water to facilitate mixing, as the dough should be firm. If the dough is soft, stir in enough more flour to firm it. Brush the top with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 4 to 12 hours.
Second Rise Stir the dough to deflate it. Divide it in half using oiled kitchen shears. The dough portions can be used immediately; or refrigerated for up to 12 hours and then used; or frozen, wrapped airtight, for up to 1 month. Use each half to prepare one pizza, following the recipe for Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Pizza or another recipe of your choosing.
