I have been making pizza dough for years. I used to travel a ton for work and the hubby’s idea of being self sufficient diminished after we got married. So a nacho or a pizza was what he would subsist on when i was away. We used to get the 2 pack of digorno from costco. Then one day for some reason i realized, we can make our own and make it “healthier”.
So i have been making different version, some with spent grain – ok, no healthier there but grainy and less waste into the world from beer brewing!
I usually immersion blend a bag of spinach and add it to the dough. Hubby doesn’t care about eating green food, as long as he really can’t tell there is a veggie, he’s fine eating them…
This last round i didn’t have any spinach but i still have bad of frozen carrots hanging around… so that was our added veggie this go round!
Pizza Dough
Notes
found this gem in a rachel ray magazine ages ago!
I usually cut it into 8 and freeze them for the hubby to make his individual thin crust pizzas!
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees )
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 cups (or more) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1-2 tablespoons EVOO, plus more for oiling bowl
Instructions
- Mix the warm water with the yeast and let the mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add flour and salt to mix.
- Add 1-2 tbsp. EVOO. (garlic infused, great idea!)
- Process until the dough comes together in a sticky ball, about 20 to 30 seconds. Up to 5-10 min knead, using the kitchenaid until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl; add the dough, turning to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough stand in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down, then turn onto a cutting board. Using a knife, quarter the dough.
- Shape 1 dough wedge roughly into a ball. Place the dough ball on the work surface and cup your hand lightly over it. Rotate your hand counterclockwise, letting the dough roll on the work surface. Continue until the surface of the dough is smooth. Repeat with the remaining dough wedges.
- Place each dough ball in a large resealable plastic bag or plastic container with a lid. Refrigerate for 10 to 48 hours (the dough will continue to rise). Let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping, or freeze for up to 2 weeks. Let the frozen dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours before shaping.
- Turn out 1 ball of dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Press it out on the work surface into a 9-inch round, a long rectangle or an oval. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. To make 3- to 4-inch mini pizzas, cut each dough ball into 4 pieces, then press or stretch into shape.
Verdict
This is a fantastic and versatile recipe. Can add or remove veggies, garlic, spices etc.
