Pizza Dough © 2012 Wes Davis – all rights reserved
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil
¾ to 1 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon Williams Sonoma Pizza Seasoning – (optional)
¼ cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese – optional but highly recommended!
Put all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix on low speed using a dough hook. Once combined, raise speed to 2 or 3 and knead until dough is smooth. It may still be a bit sticky and may look soft. Scrape dough into a greased bowl; turn to coat and then cover. Let rise until double in size.
Punch down and roll or pat dough into the shape desired in the pan. You may want to coat the pan with oil. If you are using a pizza stone, roll the dough out on floured board then transfer to the stone. This will make enough for 2 - 12” thin crusts or one 12” deep dish. Let rest for 30 minutes in fridge. This gives the dough time to rest and will add a lot of flavor to the dough.
Then - take out while oven is preheating – cover with sauce, add cheese and toppings. Bake at 450 for 12 - 20 minutes or until the cheese and toppings are done.
You can also use a pizza stone. If you use regular yeast, you will want to proof it. Here is how I do it.
Use the water from the recipe and add ½ teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Dissolve the yeast and wait until it is foamy then follow the recipe. If the yeast does not get foamy it may not work and you will have to start over. The water should be about 105 degrees F/
