Homemade Pizza – New and Improved
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
3 hrs 10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
1 large or 2 medium pizzas
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Homemade Pizza – New and Improved
Description
This pizza dough combines warm water with yeast, sugar, honey, olive oil, salt, and a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Kneaded until soft and smooth, it is refrigerated to rise slowly overnight or for several hours. Before baking, the dough comes to room temperature, then is stretched or rolled out.
Pizza is baked on a pizza stone placed in the oven’s lowest rack position, which provides even, high heat for a well browned, crisp crust. Various tools like a wooden pizza paddle dusted with cornmeal or a makeshift paddle (like a baking sheet or cutting board) help transfer the pizza to the stone. Alternatively, the dough can be shaped and topped in a rimmed baking sheet and baked directly on the stone for ease with slightly less traditional texture.
This method allows for controlled preparation and baking, yielding a crust with good flavor and texture from slow fermentation, suitable for diverse toppings and adaptable to home ovens.
A pizza stone improves crust browning and texture. In absence of a paddle, a floured baking sheet or cutting board can be used to transfer the pizza. Baking directly on a greased rimmed sheet atop the pizza stone is another option, producing a rustic but tasty result.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups water warm
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Make the dough the night before or early the morning on the day you want to make the pizza. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), mix the water, yeast, sugar, honey and oil. (If using active dry yeast, increase the amount of yeast to 2 3/4 teaspoons and proof the yeast in the water until foamy before mixing in the sugar, honey and oil.) Then mix in 1 cup flour and the salt. Continue mixing in all the remaining flour until you get a nice, soft dough. Knead until dough is soft and smooth, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap). Place the dough in the refrigerator to slowly rise until three hours before baking. Three hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, keeping it lightly covered.
- 45-60 minutes before baking, move the rack to the lowest position in the oven (if the lowest rack in your oven is nearly touching the oven floor, move it up one notch - you don't want it that close or the bottom of the pizza will burn), place the pizza stone on it and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Don't be nervous about a hot oven! I used to be scared to death to cook anything above 400 degrees but I promise 500 degrees is the only way to go when cooking pizza. If your oven is a bit sketchy at that temperature, bake at 475 degrees.
Notes
- Using a pizza stone enhances crust texture and browning for better homemade pizza.
- A wooden pizza paddle or equivalent makes it easier to transfer topped dough onto the hot pizza stone.
- Alternatives to a wooden paddle include the underside of a baking sheet or a large cutting board dusted with flour or cornmeal.
- For less mess, stretch the dough on a greased rimmed baking sheet and bake it on the pizza stone for a rustic crust with good color and texture.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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