(Easy Pizza Dough for Beginners)

Good dough is the foundation for a good pizza, next to, of course, good sauce. I have played with numerous recipes and have finalized on this combination of King Arthur’s Basic Dough and a recipe used for Utica Classic Tomato Pie. Both sources have answered my questions on the variations I have added, and I speak from the heart when I say this is pretty darn good.

What you need:

• 2 ¼ cups of warm water divided. (I get it up to around 150 degrees)
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 package of dry yeast (equals 2 ¼ tsps.)
• 5 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of “00” Italian flour
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
• 2 tsps. of salt, I go a little more than level teaspoons
• 2 tsps. of King Arthur Pizza Dough Flavor or 4 tsps. of grated Locatelli cheese.

What to do:

Pour one cup of the warm water into your stand mixer. Add the sugar and sprinkle with the yeast. It will begin to foam so let it do its thing for about 5 minutes.

Get the dough hook ready and add 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of the “00” flour, the salt, the cheese/pizza flavor, olive oil and the remaining 1/1/4 cups of warm water.

Let it mix for about 3-5 minutes, you may need to scrap the bowl to insure the ingredients are well mixed.

Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and let the dough hook do his magic for another 4 minutes or so.

Remove the dough from the mixer and place on a floured surface, roll up your sleeves and knead the dough for 6-10 minutes. I suggest drinking a little wine, this is exhausting!

Form into a ball and place into an oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise for almost an hour.

Punch the air out and refold the dough in the bowl if you are not using it immediately. You may need to do this a few times. If you are using it right now, go ahead and roll out the dough and make the pizza as you would.

Note:  If you need an easy sauce recipe: https://www.pastaonthefloor.com/easy-sauce-or-what-some-call-gravy/

(Now you are good to go Helen…Yum.)