Homemade Pizza Dough

Directions

1. Mix together the yeast and warm water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the flour and salt in a separate large bowl.
2. To the yeast mixture, add the olive oil, and then pour this liquid into the bowl with the flour.
3. Stir and knead until the dough resembles a rough ball, then cover with a damp kitchen cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Transfer the rested dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 3 minutes, until smooth. Sprinkle more flour on your hands and working surface if the dough starts to stick, and continue to knead.
5. Cut the dough into your desired number of pieces. The dough is enough to make 2 medium (23 cm) pizzas or 3 smaller (18 cm) pizzas. Fold in the sides, flip the dough so that the seam sides are facing down, and pull each piece of dough along your table to create a tight ball.
6. Place these balls on a floured surface covered with a damp cloth at room temperature to rest for 3 - 4 hours*.
7. Alternatively, store the balls overnight in the fridge in large, greased, airtight containers. If refrigerated overnight, first remove the dough from the container, pull it into a tight ball again, and let it rest at room temperature covered with a damp cloth for 1 hour to allow the dough to warm up. This will make it easier to shape.
8. When ready to bake, preheat a pizza stone* and oven to the highest temperature your oven can be set to. Using your fingers, press the dough into the desired size, starting from the middle and working your way to the edges, leaving about 1 cm of dough untouched around the perimeter which will become the pizza crust.
9. If using a pizza peel, lightly sprinkle the peel with fine breadcrumbs, semolina, flour, or cornmeal to help prevent the dough from sticking.
10. Gently lift the stretched dough and transfer it to the prepared peel. Try to place it close to the edge, as that can make it easier to slide onto the pizza stone. While the pizza is on the peel, top it with your desired toppings.
11. Bake the pizza on the pizza stone until golden, about 8 minutes if at 500°F (250°C), or for 12 minutes if at 450°F (230°C). Check on it in the last couple of minutes to ensure it doesn't overcook. When removed from the oven, add your favourite fresh toppings and enjoy!

Notes

• ^†Speed up this recipe by using double the amount of yeast listed. Let the dough rest at room temperature covered with a damp cloth for 30 minutes after being kneaded. Note, the yeast taste will be more prominent this way.
• ^†Type 00 pizza flour contains more gluten than bread or all-purpose flour. It creates a very airy, light, chewy crust. All-purpose dough can be used but will result in a slightly denser crust.
• * Pizza stones can shatter if they are placed into a preheated oven without being slowly warmed up to temperature. If you don't have a stone, bake the dough on a lined baking tray (this does not require pre-heating).

Storage

• The uncooked dough can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• Cooked dough is best the day it's made.