BASIC THIN CRUST
Pizza is one of the first things I learned to make by myself as a child. This is one of the first essential formulas for dough I learned and I have used it consistently, ever since.
This is what I like to refer to as "American pizzeria style." The crust texture and flavor should be reminiscent of any number of pizzas you may have ordered at home while watching that movie or the game on a weekend. It is as good a starting point as any into the broad and expansive universe of baking pizza from scratch.
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3 cups high gluten flour
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1¼ cups water
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1 teaspoon active dry yeast
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1 tablespoon sugar
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Stir the yeast into the water. Let the yeast proof for a few minutes while you combine the remaining ingredients.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in first the oil until it is fully incorporated.
Pour in most of the water and stir, starting along the sides of the bowl and stirring towards the center. Make sure you are sweeping the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl as well to incorporate as much as you can. When you feel like the water has been as fully incorporated as you can get, start adding the rest of the water and stir until a rough dough forms. Turn it out onto a well floured surface.
3. Knead the dough; pressing down with the heel of your hand, folding the dough back to yourself and pushing down again. Rotate the dough as you knead it. Keep some flour on hand if the dough starts to get too sticky. You will feel the dough tighten and get smoother as you work it. Have some flour on hand and apply more as the dough starts to get sticky. Knead the dough for about ten minutes.
4. Place your dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. If you are making the pizza the same night, let it rise at room temperature for two hours. Otherwise, put the dough into the refrigerator until the next day. Take it out of the fridge several hours before you are making the pizza.
5. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If you are using a hearth stone, make sure it is in the oven as it preheats. Roll the dough out and dress it with your desired toppings. The pizza should bake for about ten minutes, until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted and bubbling towards the center.
