Eat Well, Live Happy: Pizza Dough

Growing up in a large Italian family, homemade pizza was always one of my favorite meals. My mom made it all the time when I was a kid. From an early age, I started helping her and later started making my grandmother's recipe of about 12 pizzas on my own, sometimes even doubling the recipe for pizza parties! Since I moved out and am now only cooking for 1 or 2 people in a small townhouse kitchen, I started using a pizza stone and pizza peel instead of pizza pans and found a recipe that makes 2 pizzas. I've been snowed in for the past few days and now that most people are out and about again, I didn't want to head to the grocery store in case it is low on food or packed with shoppers. So I decided I would make pizza for dinner so I can take it in my lunch for the two remaining work days this week. Luckily I already had all the ingredients!

This Pizza Dough Recipe is pretty simple to make and only needs to rise for an hour, plus another 10 minutes once you divide the dough in half. Following the dough recipe are baking instructions for the pizza stone that I have - adjust as needed for however you are baking your pizzas.

Pizza Dough

Recipe Courtesy Bobby Flay

3½ to 4 cups bread flour*, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups water, 110º F
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Makes 2 14-inch pizza crusts.

Note: *Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can't find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour, which will give you a chewier crust.

This recipe does not come with instructions for baking the crust. If you are using a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 500º with the stone on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes (longer for a crispier crust).

Use a rolling pin to spread the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle your pizza peel with cornmeal and transfer the spread dough to it - crimp the edges to make them thicker and higher so the sauce and toppings do not slip onto the stone. Add cheese, sauce and toppings to your pizza. Gently shake the pizza back and forth on the peel to make sure it will slide off easily onto the stone.

Once the oven is preheated, sprinkle cornmeal on the stone to help prevent the dough from sticking. Reduce the oven temperature to 475º. Gently slide your pizza from the peel on to the stone. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.

While the first pizza is baking, prepare the second on the pizza peel.

Use a spatula to transfer the baked pizza to a large cutting board since the second one will be on the peel. Slice the pizza with a pizza wheel or pizza chopper and enjoy!