Simple, Easy, Versatile Pizza Dough!

Pizza.  Need I say more?  The culinary miracle that we call pizza is a staple comfort food for countless foodies around the world.  The search for a tasty, simple pizza dough that can be used for practically any style of pizza has led us to one recipe.  It's easy. It's good. It's pizza.  This pizza dough recipe can be rolled paper thin for a crispy crust, left thicker for a traditional style pizza or tossed in a cast iron skillet to create the heavy, stomach busting cheesy goodness better known as the Chicago style deep dish pizza. 

Enjoy!


Pizza Dough

    ? 1 cup warm water
    ? 1 package active dry yeast
    ? ½ cup yellow cornmeal
    ? 1 tsp salt
    ? 2 tbsp olive oil
    ? 2 ½ cups all purpose flour

To begin, combine 1 cup of warm water with 1 package of active dry yeast, stir and let rest while the yeast comes to life.  In a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine a ½ cup of yellow cornmeal, 1 tsp of salt, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 2½ cups of  all purpose flour and the water/yeast mixture.

Mix on medium until dough pulls away from the forms, adding additional flour as necessary if dough remains too wet.  Remove the dough from the mixer and placer on a light floured surface, kneading dough until completely smooth.  Form the dough into a ball and place in large, oiled freezer bag.

Place the bag in a warm place and allow it to rise at least 2 hours before placing in the refrigerator over night.  Remove the dough an hour before use, roll to desired diameter/thickness and top.  Allow the assembled pizza to rest for the remainder of your hour before placing it in the oven.

Notes:

When baking, thinner crusts do best when cooked quickly at high temperatures (Approx. 450F+) while a Chicago style deep dish pizza requires more time to bake at a lower temperature (Approx. 350F).