A Pizza Dough Recipe

Pizza Party

Pizza is a wonder, isn’t it? It has all the food groups and things I love on it: bread, cheese veggies, meats, sauces, more cheese… dammit, if I don’t just want to eat it all the time. Here is my latest foray into pizza using a new (to me) dough recipe I looked up on the King Arther Flour website. The toppings include an intriguing ingredient: honey! Honestly… don’t shy away from it - I promise it’s the move we want to make.

A Pizza Dough Recipe

Derived from King Arthur Flour (they know what’s up)

2 cups warm water (approximately 105-115℉ is ideal, but I get lazy and just use hot tap water)

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 packet Fleischmann’s pizza dough yeast (or you can use 1 packet of active dry yeast/~2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl + board

5 1/2 to 6 cups (660g - 720g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder (optional)

Cornmeal

In a measuring cup, dissolve the sugar, yeast, and salt (and olive oil, if you are using it) in the lukewarm water.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour and the garlic and onion powders (if using); I suggest starting with 5 1/2 cups flour at this stage. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the water and yeast mixture into it.

Using a wooden spoon with a sturdy handle, stir the dough around in the bowl. It will look shaggy at first - keep stirring. Eventually, the dough will begin to tighten up and pull away from the sides. If your arms can handle it, keep stirring with the spoon. Add additional flour, if necessary, until it is just a smidge paste the sticky point (adding 1 tablespoon at a time). Once it gets to where it resembles a slightly lumpy ball, take it out of the bowl and put it on a lightly-oiled wooden cutting board/counter. Lightly oil your hands.

Knead the dough with your hands on the cutting board/counter until it is smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl with high sides, cover it with plastic wrap that has also been lightly oiled, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours. The dough should have at least doubled inside and come up the sides of the bowl. You can even let it go for 3 hours, if you want. Warm place suggestions for rising that rock: above your gas fireplace that was one for a few minutes/In a turned-off oven with the little light on/on top of a running dryer, in a sunbeam and under a kitchen towel (away from animals!).

When the dough has had time to fully prove, gently deflate it by punching it down carefully once in the middle. Remove it from the bowl and divide it into four pieces (for medium-crust pizza) or two pieces (for thicker-crust pizza).

Place a pizza stone in the center or upper 1/3 of your oven and preheat to 450°F. Sprinkle a generous amount of cornmeal on a wooden pizza peel, or you can tear large sheets of parchment paper off that are just a few inches wider than a 12” pizza round. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can get out two large rimless cookie sheets.

Lightly oil your cutting board and a rolling pin. Roll each piece into a circle to fit a 12" pizza pan. Create your crust by pushing the edges into a fatter “roll” or… don’t. It’s your pizza, make it look however you want!

Place the rounds on the prepared pizza peel or parchment paper.

Prepare your toppings while the oven heats and the dough rests. My Sicilian-inspired ingredient list I found follows this recipe, but you can add whatever you like.

Once your toppings are on, brush the edges of each crust with a bit of olive oil and place the first pizza in the oven (on a pan or the heated pizza stone).

Bake the pizzas for 15 to 20 minutes, until they're golden brown, the toppings are hot and bubbly, and the cheese is melted. Remove the pizzas from the oven using the pizza peel or tongs and a large, clean cutting board. Let cool for a few minutes so the cheese settles and you can’t take the smell any longer. Cut and serve.

Sicilian-Inspired Pizza Toppings

From Purewow Recipes

Marinara sauce (go for a thicker sauce, as thinner ones will be more watery and prevent the cheese from sticking)

Fresh mozzarella, grated or chopped

Pepperoni

Pickled jalapeños

Red Pepper flakes

Dried Oregano

Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Honey

Put everything but the honey on, in that order. The amount of cheese is up to you (but don’t lie… you want to put it all on there, and you freggin’ should).

Bake your pizza according to the directions.

When the pizza comes out, let it cool for a few minutes for everything to… solidify and the lightly drizzle the honey overtop. Slice and inhale.