Friday is pizza night in our family. I love to end the week with a homemade pizza; there is just something truly satisfying in making your own pizza, dough and all. It’s also fun to experiment with different toppings.
This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cooking magazines, Cooks Illustrated. These guys test their recipes to perfection. This pizza dough is thin, crispy, and tastes delicious. One caveat, you need to have a food processor to make this dough. And because I make pizza almost weekly, I have invested in a pizza peel and a pizza stone (which I highly recommend if you enjoy making your own pizza.)
Makes two pizzas
Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour or 2 cups bread flour & 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/3 cups ice water
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Combine flour, sugar, and yeast in a food processor and mix for a few seconds. Gradually pour water through the feed tube until dough has no dry flour remaining. Let dough stand for about 10 min.
2. Then add oil and salt, and process for about 1 min or until dough forms a smooth, sticky ball.
3. Lightly oil the countertop and place the dough onto the oiled surface. Knead until it’s a smooth ball, which is about a minute.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hr. You can use it for up to 3 days.
5. When you’re ready to make the pizza, place the oven rack 4-5 inches below the broiler. Turn oven to the highest setting or about 500 degrees, and preheat for about 1 hr.
6. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and turn on the oven. Divide the dough in half, and shape each piece into a ball. Lightly oil the countertop or use a baking sheet and place dough on top. Let stand for 1 hour.
7. Generously flour your work surface and flatten one dough ball with your fingers. Carefully stretch it into a 12-inch round; alternatively, you can roll it out with a rolling pin. (Add flour to the rolling pin to prevent sticking.)
8. Place the dough on the pizza peel and add your favorite toppings. Bake for about 10-12 minutes; check it after about 7 minutes and turn it 180 degrees. Repeat with the second pizza dough.