After many years of trying different recipes to make the perfect pizza dough, I think I have finally found one. Actually, I have been making this recipe I stumbled on for a few years now and believe it is one of the best (haven’t changed yet). You can make a thick crust, a thin crust, whichever you like and IT IS delicious! A perfect pizza dough with just the right softness and just the right crispness. I also have to mention that I use a pizza stone when cooking the pizza. This I find, makes a difference. I only paid 12.98 plus taxes for the pizza stone that included a stand, and I think it is all worth the money if you are interested creating your very own pizza’s. So all you Pappa’s an da Mamma’s, you ready to make da pizza?
BASIC PIZZA DOUGH
– 3 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
– 2 Tblsp. Yeast
– 1 tsp. Salt
– 2 Tblsp. Honey
– 1 or 2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 1 + 1/2 Cup Warm Water
– Olive Oil Spray and 1 tsp. Olive Oil
– Any Pizza Sauce (your homemade one is good too!)
– Fennel Seeds
– Veggies, Pepperoni, Cheese
Method: Preheat Oven to 400. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 Cup warm water and let it stand for approximately 3 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast mixture, the rest of the warm water (1 Cup), honey and the olive oil into the well. Mix until it is doughy and sticky. Now, continue to knead the dough for 15 minutes. You may need to lightly flour your hands. Do not use too much flour as this can dry out your dough. It will be sticky (Arghhhhhh!) to begin with, but as you knead the dough continuously it will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl on it’s own. Continue kneading with the pulling up the dough and bringing it down and punching the dough down with the base of your palm and bringing the dough over and repeating the steps. It is important to knead for the full 15 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Split the dough into two large balls. On a cookie sheet, spray lightly with some olive oil and set the balls of dough spaced apart. Spray a large piece of plastic wrap lightly, and cover the dough with the plastic wrap, oil side down. Cover the entire cookie sheet lightly with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. After the dough has risen, carefully remove the plastic wrap. You can choose to either continue to make your pizza, or refrigerate your dough up to 2 days. This recipe makes 2 large pizza’s, so you can opt to make one and refrigerate the other dough ball. If refrigerating, cover well with oiled plastic wrap. Line your pizza stone with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with flour. Next take one of the dough balls, and begin shaping a large circle, I am no pizza tossing kind of person, LOL, so I kind of just turn it quickly while stretching the dough and I lay it down on the pizza lined stone and stretch it out to a larger circle from there. Once I am satisfied with my pizza circle, I spread about 1 tsp. Olive Oil all over the pizza with my fingers, so much easier than using a basting brush (quicker too!). I then add the pizza sauce and I sprinkle on the Fennel Seeds. Load up the pizza with whatever veggies you like, I opted for Green Pepper, Mushrooms and Pepperoni, then add your cheese. I used the Kraft Shredded Italiano (4 cheeses). I also added sliced cherry tomatoes on top of half my pizza because some peeps here are so darn picky!! Yeeesh! Pop it into the oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes. I rotate my pizza halfway through cooking. Depending on your crust thickness you may need to adjust your cooking time, so keep your eyes on it. There you have it, some yummy pizza!
audirose 
