Pizza Dough

Well I said I'd post our favourite pizza dough recipe and here it is! I've done a lot of testing and experimenting with recipes over the past few weeks and this is the recipe I've come up with that Chris likes the best! (I should mention that this recipe is an adaptation of a recipe that came from Todd and Lori Berrett).

I've listed two separate versions of the recipe, the second is the recipe increased by 1/3rd because Chris likes a lot of crust. We also take a handful of the dough and make Jacob a little personal pepperoni pizza out of the recipe. And as there's more crust I decided to take an idea from Aimee and started putting cheese sticks (divided in half lengthwise) in the crust as well. It's so good. The only problem is with more crust there's also more crust to dip in the garlic dipping sauce;)

Regular Crust Pizza Dough
3 cups flour
1 tbsp instant yeast (I like SAF Instant yeast)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1 cups hot water


Big Crust Pizza Dough
4 cups flour
1 tbsp + 1 tsp instant yeast (I like SAF Instant yeast)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
1 1/3 tsp salt
2 tbsp + 2 tsp oil
1 1/3 cups hot water

Mix dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients. If using a Kitchen Aid, mix until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. I usually mix it for a few minutes in the Kitchen Aid and then take it out and finish kneading it by hand, but you can of course let the Kitchen Aid do all the work. If you are not using a Kitchen Aid, mix the ingredients until combined and then knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary.

Shape in to a ball and lace seam side down in a oiled (PAM) bowl and cover with saran wrap and a dish towel and let rise until it's doubled in size (approximately 30-45 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room).

For the Regular Crust: Sprinkle cornmeal on a large pizza stone / pizza pan and then hand press or roll the dough on to the stone and cover with desired toppings.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes*

For the Big Crust: Sprinkle cornmeal on a large pizza stone / pizza pan and then hand press or roll the dough past the edge of the stone so the dough is hanging off the stone.

Divide 5-6 cheese sticks in half lengthwise and place them along the edge of the pizza stone and wrap the dough that's hanging over the side over the cheese sticks and press in to the bottom crust to hold. Then cover with desired toppings.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes*


*Note: Cooking time will depend on the toppings used. For example, the gourmet vegetarian pizza will take longer to cook, while a pepperoni or bbq chicken will take less time.

*Note: I've also used this dough to make breadsticks and they turned out great. We always dip our breadsticks in garlic dipping sauce (just like Papa John's).

Enjoy!