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Pizza dough recipe

Basic Pizza Dough

My perfect pizza dough recipe. Guaranteed to disappear from my family’s plates every time.
5 from 2 votes
Active Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 2 people (one 10" pizza)

INGREDIENTS

  • 175 g '00' flour - you can use plain flour or strong bread flour if '00' is not available, but I find '00' gives a lighter, crisper base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 120 ml water - lukewarm

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Put the flour (175g), yeast (½ tsp) and salt (½ tsp) into a large bowl - Put the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl to prevent the salt killing the yeast before it's had a chance to work.
  • Make a well in the centre and add half the water (60ml), mix well with your hands.
  • Keep adding water a little bit at a time until all of the flour has been incorporated into the dough. The dough should be slightly sticky but not sloppy - If you accidentally add too much water add a sprinkle of flour and combine until you have the right consistency.
  • Spread a little of the olive oil onto a clear work surface and knead the dough in the oil, keep adding a little oil until the full 1 tbsp has been incorporated - The olive oil helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface and adds flavour to the loaf. The dough can sometimes get sticky while kneading, keep persevering, it will improve, and don't be tempted to add more flour or you'll end up with a dry, heavy pizza base.
  • Keep kneading the dough until it is smooth, springy and if you stretch it in front of a light source you'll be able to see the light coming through without the dough breaking.
  • Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove for 1-1½ hours (or overnight in the fridge) until the dough has doubled in size - The important thing here is the dough doubling in size, not the time. The amount of time the dough needs to prove can vary according to the temperature of the room, so if it's not doubled in size, leave it a bit longer.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and knead a couple of times to knock out all of the air.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. TIP - For a really well cooked base, place an empty baking sheet into an oven until hot. Make up the pizza on a sheet of greaseproof paper or other oven-proof mat and then before cooking transfer the pizza on the greaseproof onto the hot baking sheet.
  • Shape the dough into a circle about ½ cm thick - I say circle, mine tend to be slightly random shapes but they still taste great.
  • Top with your chosen toppings
  • Bake in the oven for roughly 12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

NOTES

If you're not sure what to top your pizza with then why not try my delicious ALL-DAY BREAKFAST PIZZA or my BBQ CHICKEN & BACON PIZZA.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page to let others know what you thought.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 4.1mg

Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.


Cuisine: Italian