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Italian Pizza Dough -Like A Pro!

5 Ingredients to perfect Italian Pizza dough. So yummy you will think you traveled to Italy
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 23 minutes
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/3 C Warm Water 130°F no warmer (from faucet)
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons of Rapid Yeast Single Packet of Rapid Rise Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Instant Yeast or bread machine yeast in a jar
  • 3 3/4 C Protein Flour Bread flour or Double Zero Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon of Salt sea salt, Kosher or Iodized
  • 1/4 C of any of the following semolina flour, brown rice flour, cornmeal
  • TOPPINGS FOR PIZZA
  • You can top these pizza crusts with anything you like.
  • My pizza was topped with the following:
  • 3 Tablespoons crushed tomato sauce per pizza crust.
  • 4 presliced ripped pieces of fresh mozzarella per pizza crust
  • 3-4 Basil leaves ripped or whole per pizza crust
  • Up to 2 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
  • Drizzled Olive Oil up to a tablespoon.
  • Or you can use ANY other toppings and sauce you prefer.

Instructions
 

  • MIX BY HAND METHOD
  • Prepare a small pan 9 x 13 inches by sprinkling with either semolina flour, brown rice flour, or cornmeal and set aside.
  • Using a measuring cup, place measured faucet warm water into a measuring cup.
  • Add yeast.
  • Stir to dissolve.
  • Set aside for a minute.
  • In a second bowl, place flour and salt.
  • Mix to combine (best with hands see below for mixer kneading method.)
  • Turn out onto flat surface.
  • Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth about 12 minutes. (then jump to # 13)
  • IF USING A MIXER ...
  • Follow all of the same instructions above except, combine ingredients into the stand mixer to mix it and then choose mode Knead (No.2 on KitchenAid Mixer)to knead the dough for 2 minutes and then dump onto a lightly floured countertop and follow the steps below.
  • You will push, pull and fold the dough as you work to ahieve smoothness.
  • Do not add too much flour or you will DRY the dough out, use as little as possible to make sure the dough does not stick, yet it is smooth.
  • Once you have achieved smooth dough, roughly roll into a log that you can cut into 4 portions.
  • Work with each portion for about a minute to roll it into a small ball.
  • After you've achieved a small ball, place it on the prepared tray and continue to form the additional 3 balls.
  • Cover the tray with all 4 dough balls with either plastic wrap or a damp towel.*
  • Place in the microwave per instructions below* or you can preheat your oven for about 2 minutes to 180°F and then shut it off and place the covered tray in the oven. (if using the oven I suggest the damp towel)***
  • While the pizza dough is proofing, follow the instructions below to preheat your pizza stones.***
  • OVEN BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 450°F with pizza stones for 30 minutes before the dough is done rising. Dough rises for 2 hours so at 1 1/2 hours put the stone in the oven to preheat.
  • PIZZA STONE ON GRILLING INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat grill with pizza stone to 500°F (every grill is different it takes ours almost 45 minutes to achieve this heat)
  • Therefore 1 hour and 15 minutes into dough rise, it's time to preheat the grill and stone together.
  • Once the dough is done rising (proofing) about 2 hours it will be doubled in size.
  • Work with the dough, from the inside of the ball to the outside of the crust.
  • Pushing from the interior portion.
  • Leaving the edges all around thicker.
  • Once you have crafted a round 9" or so pizza crust, you will want to transfer it to the pizza stone which wll hav been removed from the oven (which will be HOT!)****
  • OVEN PIZZA PREP****(notes below)
  • Here you can go ahead and add sauce, cheese and toppings.
  • Then bake in your preheated oven on the preheatd stone for7-8 minutes on 450°F.
  • Remove the pizza to a plate and enjoy~ Dana XO
  • GRILL PIZZA STONE****(notes below)
  • Or if you working on a pizza stone on the grill you will want to place the dough on the stone, while it's on the grill and work quickly to top the pizza dough.
  • Then allow the pizza to cook for about 7 -9 minutes until you've achieved a golden bronze color on the crust and the cheese will be melted.
  • Remove the pizza from the stone and enjoy. ~ Dana XO

Notes

*Damp towels will keep the bread ball from forming a hard crust on top while proofing. 
If you prefer less of a mess, use plastic wrap, both ways will yield the same results. 
  • **In a microwave, place 1-2 cups of water in a microwave-safe cup.
  • Program the microwave to come to create boiled water.
  • Once achieved, take the covered tray, open the microwave, move the cup to the back and place the covered tray inside.
  • Close the door and allow the pizza dough to rise for 2 hours (it will double!) 
***Consider this: If you are using your oven to heat your pizza stone (and not a grill) it is not a good idea to move your proofing pizza dough out of the oven when it is time to preheat the oven and stone. Therefore I suggest a warmer section on your counter for proofing or using my Microwave holding method. Don't move the pizza dough WHILE proofing. 
****If you have a pizza paddle, you can prepare the pizza crust and top it on the counter and not remove the pizza stone from the oven or the grill. 
Simply top it with your choices of sauce, meats, and cheese and use the paddle to transfer to the hot stone, otherwise use the directions above.