Recipe: Pizzeria-Style Pizza Dough

Everyone loves a slice of pizza. Whether it is a classic Margherita or topped creative Asian-fusion ingredients, the secret to a good pizza is a good crust. Traditionally, pizza is made in extremely hot wood-burning ovens, so the crust is charred and crisp at the edges. In this version, the soft and supple dough is stretched thin and then baked quickly in a very hot oven for a rustic and authentic crust. Feel free to stick to tradition and top your pizza with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, or get innovative and play with the toppings.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
• 32 fluid ounces water
• 2 3/4 pounds high-gluten flour
• 1-ounce salt
• 4 fluid ounces olive oil
• Toppings (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, sausage, vegetables, etc.)

Instructions

Makes 4 pizzas

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix the water with the flour in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add the salt and olive oil and mix to combine.
2. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (or 12 for individual pieces). Round the balls of dough. Wrap in an oiled cake pan and chill overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Stretch the dough as thin as possible using the backs of your hands. Each ball of dough should make a 16- to 18-inch pizza.
4. Top the pizza with your favorite toppings and bake in the oven until the crust is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.