An Italian in my Kitchen

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Best Pizza Dough

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Best Pizza Dough, this basic Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is the only pizza recipe you will ever need. Make it by hand or in your stand up mixer.   

pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paperBest Pizza Dough

Authentic Italian Pizza never tasted so good.  Everything you need to know to make this your family’s new favourite dinner idea.

In your house what day is pizza day?

If you are like us it could mean any day.  Sometimes Friday or maybe even Saturday but this week it was Sunday!

This time I made 3 different types of Pizza, all easy and all delicious.

In Italy it is so easy to get a good pizza dough.  Sometimes I would stop at my local bakery (forno) and pick up a pound or two of dough.

how to make pizza dough 4 photos, yeast in warm water, flour and dough risen

But when I tasted a pizza made with this specific dough, I thought no matter how good the bakery dough was, it was now a thing of the past for me.

That pizza made me determined to make my own pizza dough from then on.

With so many ways to make pizza, with a tomato sauce, without or even just veggies, this is the Best Pizza dough to use.

As it happened awhile ago we were invited to lunch at my friend’s Aunt and she made this fabulous pizza.  It was served as an appetizer and not the main dish.

So  many main dishes were served that day that I lost count after a while. So I asked my friend’s aunt for her recipe, Italians are wonderful about that.

toppings for best pizza dough, stir fried veggies, fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce

I believe for an Italian it is probably one of the best compliments to be asked for a recipe, so ask I do and often.

If I am lucky enough once in a while they might even come over and give me a cooking lesson in my own kitchen, nothing better than that!

The only thing is most of the time these recipes are from dishes that are made so often (which makes them the best of all I must say) that they don’t measure anything.  It is all “oh a little bit of this or a handful of that”.

 More Delicious Pizza Recipes to try.

Easy Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

a slice of cast iron skillet pizza on a spatual

Italian Pizza Bianca
Italian-pizza-white

Grilled Zucchini Pizza with Arugula

Grilled Zucchini Pizza, an easy delicious healthy pizza recipe, grilled zucchini and mozzarella cheese make it a family favorite.|anitalianinmykitchen.com

Needless to say this pizza dough was one of those recipes that was passed down for I can’t tell you how many years. But trust me it is a delicious, amazing pizza dough.

Make it thin crust or thick crust whatever suits you, then you can top it with any fresh ingredients you desire.

With this recipe  I made two large and one small pizza.

One of the pizzas I made was an all veggie one, with fresh, halved, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and onions.

a slice of pizza with veggies and sausage

The second one I sautéed a couple of Italian sausage (casing removed) with sliced mushrooms, peppers and a small onion and topped it on a pureed tomato sauce (with just a few spices and a little olive oil).

And the third I topped with chopped fresh tomatoes and sliced black olives and of course all the pizzas were topped with shredded firm mozzarella after they were baked.

-When making Homemade Pizza Dough be sure to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.

-Let it rise in a lightly oiled bowl (make sure to turn the dough in the bowl so it gets covered lightly in oil), cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean large kitchen cloth.

-Place the bowl in a warm free from drafts area and let it rise for about two hours.

-Always use olive oil.

pizza dough baked on a wooden board

-Once the dough has risen, divide it into 3 rounds, make sure to cover the rounds with the kitchen cloth and let it rest for about 20 minutes.  This way your dough will spread and not spring back when you try to fit it into the pan.

-No knead to roll the dough with a rolling pin, clean hands work best.

  So however you like your pizza, thick crust, thin crust, double cheese, veggie or pepperoni I hope you try it with this pizza dough.  Buon Appetito!

 Pizza Dough

black olive pizza in a black pizza pan

4.08 from 51 votes
pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paper
Print
Best Pizza Dough
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
 
Best Pizza Dough, an easy, homemade pizza dough recipe that will become your favorite go to for pizza night.  Thick or thin crust you decide.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 265 kcal
Author: Rosemary
Ingredients
  • 2 cups warm water 472 grams
  • pinch sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 1/4 cups all purpose flour 671 grams
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions

  1. In the bowl of your stand up mixer (or a large bowl if you knead by hand) add warm water then add yeast and sugar, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir to combine. 

MIXING BY MACHINE

  1. Add the olive oil, flour and salt,with the hook attachment start to combine on low speed, scrape the hook and then raise to medium speed and knead for approximately 5-7 minutes or until you have a smooth elastic dough (scrape the hook halfway through kneading).  

MIXING BY HAND

  1. If you are mixing by hand then with a fork mix until the dough starts to come together. On a lightly floured surface remove dough from the bowl and knead until dough is smooth and elastic approximately 10 minutes (if dough is really sticky add a little extra flour). 

  2. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a large clean kitchen towel, leave in a warm draft- free place until doubled in bulk, approximately 2 hours.**

  3. Pre heat oven to 450° (250° celsius). Punch dough down a few times and divide into 3 balls,  let dough rest for 20 minutes.

  4. Place dough in desired pizza or cookie sheets (lightly oiled) and fit dough into desired shapes (using your clean hands).  

  5. Top with your favourite toppings (without the cheese), bake for approximately 15-20 minutes (until crust is golden) and then top with grated mozzarella cheese and bake for three more minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

  6. **At this point, dough can also be refrigerated, place in plastic bag, remove air and tie securely up to 24 hours.

EASY PIZZA SAUCE

  1. In a medium bowl add a can of diced or pureed tomatoes, add 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, a sprinkle of salt, tablespoon of olive oil and stir to combine.  Top pizza dough.

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

  1. Chop fresh tomatoes (grape, roma or cherry tomatoes) remove seeds, toss with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil (or even fresh) salt and a tablespoon or 2 or olive oil.

STIRRED FRIED VEGGIES & ITALIAN SAUSAGE

  1. In a medium frying pan add Italian sausage (casing removed and chopped) and fry until starting to brown, add thinly sliced, onion, pepper and mushrooms and a drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste, cook on medium for approximately 10 minutes. Use as topping for pizza (on the sauce and then bake).

Nutrition Facts
Best Pizza Dough
Amount Per Serving
Calories 265 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 5%
Sodium 1048mg 44%
Potassium 75mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 50g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 7g 14%
Calcium 1%
Iron 16.9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Best Pizza Dough, an easy, homemade pizza dough recipe that will become your favorite go to for pizza night. Thick or thin crust you decide.|anitalianinmyktichen.com
Best Pizza Dough, an easy, homemade pizza dough recipe that will become your favorite go to for pizza night.  Thick or thin crust you decide. #pizza #dough #Italian pizza #dinner
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Reader Interactions

Comments

      • Do I use same quantity of brand flour as the all purpose flour. The reason I bread flour is that the bread flour dough and be stretched easily without breaking. Appreciate if I could find some tips here. Thank you

        Reply

        • Hi Freda, yes it’s a 1 for 1f and all the same ingredients. And yes you are right it does stretch better with bread flour. Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.

          Reply

  3. I’d also add a tablespoon (or a little less) of diastatic malt powder. It gives the pizza bread a nice brown crust and helps the dough rise. It also adds some sweetness since it breaks down the starch in the flour into sugar, so you may want to add less sugar with it.

    Reply

  4. Hi I’m making this for the first time, my question is, if my toppings are just sauce and cheese, would I bake it with just the sauce first and then add the cheese for the last 3 or 4 minutes?

    thank you!

    Reply

  5. Our entire family loves pizza and would eat it every day if I made it. Needless to say, I don’t do that but I do try to make one at least every other week. I have been buying my pizza dough from our local store but have wanted to try to make my own dough for quite some time. I think your recipe just might be the answer!

    It looks similar to my other bread recipes so I know making the dough won’t be difficult so now all I need is the time to give it a try. Can’t wait! Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply

    • Hi Linda, we like to eat pizza once a week and this pizza dough is really easy and I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it goes. Have a wonderful Sunday.

      Reply

  6. You just rocked our pizza night game! Such a fantastic recipe with easy to follow instructions. Pizza Friday is for sure going to become a staple here now! xoxo

    Reply

    • Hi Jackie yes you can freeze it. Just let it rise fully before you freeze it you could also divide it into portioned pieces for single pizzas if you want. The dough can be frozen for up to three months and it just needs to be thawed in the fridge overnight before you use it! Hope that helps.

      Reply

  8. Rose, THANK YOU for this perfect pizza dough recipe. I baked each for 15 min @ 450 F then added cheeses for another 3-4 min on my pizza stone. It was so good! Order-in won’t be happening again at our house. I also made your tomato sauce, simple & delicious.

    Reply

  9. I loved the texture of your dough and it came together so nicely. I am wondering if anyone else mentioned that 1 1/2 Tbsp of salt caused the dough to be a little salty tasting? Did you mean 1 and 1/2 tsp?
    Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply

  10. Hello Rosemary,
    I make pizza dough quite often and made your recipe.The only problem is its just after noon and I don’t want to make the pizza until tonight.I stuck the dough in the frig and am going to take it out a couple of hours before I make the pies.Do you think it will be ok to do this? Have a great day and may God bless.Thanks

    Reply

  12. I’ve been looking for a good pizza dough recipe and this is it!! Thank you!!
    I live in Rural Alaska -Port Lions which is on Kodiak Island. No store here and didn’t have olive oil. I substituted vegetable oil and it turned out wonderfully.

    Reply

  13. Rosemary:
    I plan to christen my “egg” and its lava stone tonight. Cornmeal on the paddle for ease of transferring pizza from paddle to stone . . . no problem. In the future, I plan to use your pizza dough again, and use a pizza pan, but will I need to lightly oil the pan or use a little cornmeal to prevent sticking?
    Thank you for what promises to be a fantastic pie dough, and for your reply.
    Ciao!
    Sonney

    Reply

    • Hi Terry, thanks glad you like the pizza dough, I always use a little olive oil to prevent sticking rather than cornmeal. Have a wonderful Sunday.

      Reply

  14. Hi Rose!

    Firstly I am so jealous of you: I have wanted to go to Italy since I can remember and have yet to make it there! Florence is first on my list 🙂

    I love Italian food and want to organise a dinner party. I would love to make your pizza but have tried homemade pizza base before and it has been a disaster! So keeping my fingers crossed that this recipe will be my first successful homemade pizza base. But I just wanted to ask; I can only get my hands on instant yeast here. Should I follow the same protocol as your recipe?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Ruby, thanks so much and yes Italy is beautiful and I hope you make it here one day. I really hope this pizza dough works out for you if you have any problems let me know and yes instant yeast is just fine. 🙂

      Reply

  15. I tried this recipe and loved it. I reduced the salt to 1 tablespoon. Is it correct that it is suppose to be 1 1/2 Tablespoon is that the correct amount?

    Reply

  16. this looks like a wonderful recipe..i’m wondering if i could half the ingredients so i could use my bread machine..i just can’t knead dough like i used to ..i think my bread machine is only for 4-1/2 cups flour no more..thx for reply..and i love italian food..huggzz

    Reply

    • i halved the recipe..then froze it..we had it today..oh man it was good..rose beautifully..i should have baked about 5 min. longer…and i baked with the cheese on and all the toppings..my tablet is not working..and was too lazy to run back and forth to my laptop checking directions..lol..hubby said it was a keeper..and out go all my other pizza recipes..this is the best..ty ty ty..huggzz

      Reply

        • Hi Iris, you can freeze the dough after the rising, for up to 3 months (freeze it in a plastic bag). And when you are ready to use it, put the frozen dough in its bag in the fridge and let it thaw overnight or for at least 12 hours, then remove it from the fridge and let it sit out for about 30 minutes, then proceed with the rest of the directions. Hope that helps.

          Reply

    • Hi Ninette, yes you can freeze it for up to 3 months (freeze it in a plastic bag). When you are ready to use it, put the frozen dough in its bag in the fridge and let it thaw overnight or for at least 12 hours. Before you make the pizza, place the dough on the countertop and let warm up for about 30 minutes before stretching it out to make your pizza. Hope that helps.

      Reply

  18. Heirloom recipes are the best! They always work no matter what. I’m going to try this dough over the weekend, because we are all pizza lovers in the family.

    Reply

  22. Rose, can you tell me what kind of flour you use? That sure can make all the difference in any recipe. Just stumbled onto you thru Pinterest a few weeks ago. Thanks for all the Italian recipes and the time you take to post. My New Years resolution is to eat Italian whenever possible this year. Might as well eat the best food on earth!

    Reply

    • Hi Paula, Thank you for your kind words. Great question you have on flour, I have done some searching and I discovered that in Italy flour is measured by how finely it is milled, whereas in most of the other countries (United States and Canada included) it is measured by its gluten content. That being said for pizza I use flour 0 which would be equivalent to bread flour. I have also heard that some stores do sell flour 0 and 00 now (00 I use for baked goods).I must say there is so much variety with Italian food, everyone is happy. Enjoy and Happy New Year! I forgot to say that flour 00 is equivalent to all purpose.

      Reply

  26. Tried this dough recipe today and it was excellent. Usually I buy my dough from a local Italian grocery on the other side of the city. No more…now I can make a far better pizza …all on my own!

    Reply

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