Homemade Basic Pizza dough

I have a few pizza recipes to share with you, as well as a couple of calzone recipes I made recently using the same dough, so before giving the recipes here is the dough I use.

I’ve been making pizzas for many years but this is my best pizza dough.  My friends and relatives say that it’s  the best crust they’ve ever had.

A few minor details make all the difference.  I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour,  honey instead of sugar and my other secret is to wet the dough with olive oil before rising, which makes a lovely, elastic dough.

Recipes will follow in a few days…

Homemade Basic Pizza Dough

Makes: 2 pizzas for 30 cm pizza baking tin

Ingredients:

800 grams bread flour
2 packages (16 grams) instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a bowl add the yeast and honey with half a cup of lukewarm water and mix. Let it stand for 5 minutes until it bubbles.
Attach the dough paddle to the mixer and add the flour, olive oil and salt and mix.
Add the yeast mixture, mix and then add the water gradually and mix again until the dough is ready and does not stick on the mixer bowl or your hands.
Add the remaining olive oil on top of the dough and lift so that it wets the entire dough.
Cover with cling film and leave it in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
When ready, punch the dough to deflate and knead again for a couple of minutes.
Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll out each piece.
Transfer to an oiled pizza tin.
Now the pizza dough is ready to receive its toppings.

Other Relevant Recipes:

Cypriot Pitta Bread

Koulouri Thessalonikis

Lagana

Tiganopsomo (Fried bread)

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Kalamata Olives

Dough for Greek Pies

Dough for Pies with Butter

Provencal Pastry

Whole Wheat Tortillas

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