Pizza is enjoyed by everyone, from kids to adults. The best thing about it is that it can be personalised and topped with your favourite toppings.
You can get store-bought pizza dough at most supermarkets, roll it out and put your desired ingredients on top. But what if you could make your own pizza dough and as a result you end up with a much better flavour? 🙂
I have been experimenting with different recipes in search for the best possible pizza dough. Finally, I think I have found the one! I tried it on several occasions and it never fails. The only drawback is that you have to plan from beforehand as this particular recipe requires the dough to prove and ferment for at least 18 hours. This is also a good thing as this natural fermentation process gives the dough its great taste!
This recipe is based on the one by Gemma Stafford from Bigger Bolder Baking. Check out her video recipe below.
Pizza dough
A classic Italian pizza basic recipe
Ingredients
- 500g plain flour
- 350g water, lukewarm
- 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Do not add the yeast and salt directly on each other as this can deactivate the yeast.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the water and olive oil. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon or your hand until all flour is incorporated. You may want to add additional water but do it only a tiny bit at a time. Make sure there are no lumps of flour. The dough should be wet and saggy.
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to sit at room temperature and ferment for 18 hours. Keep out of direct sunlight.
- After the 18 hours, the dough will be double in size with bubbles on top.
- Dust your hands and the surface of the dough with a little flour, just enough to prevent it from sticking to your hands. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Lightly knead each portion of dough just to form a ball.
- Allow to rest on a floured board covered with a tea towel for another 30 minutes. Your pizza dough will now be ready to use!
- Dust a baking paper with semolina (or flour). Lightly dust your hands with flour and gently stretch each pizza dough ball into a circular shape. Place it on the baking paper.
- Spread the sauce and add your favourite toppings.
- Preheat the oven including the tray you are placing the pizza to 250 degrees Celsius. Transfer the pizza onto the preheated tray and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown on top and the base is crisp.
Here are some ideas on how to top up your pizza the next time you make yours! 😀
Fantastic pizza dough…and so easy, best one ever!
I’m happy you liked it!! 😀
Got me hungry by just looking at the first picture!
😀😀😀 you should definitely try this!