Pizza Dough

Ingredients 

• 1 cup hot water 
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar 
• 1/2 tsp quick rise yeast (any yeast will do) 
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups flour (depends on consistency of dough needed) 
• 1 tsp of salt (to taste) 
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp of oil (olive oil makes the dough heavier)  

Method and Notes  

I am not 100% sure of the quantities above but that is pretty much how I do it... 

When it comes to flour I go by the dough consistency. I want a nice, soft dough I can spread out and work with... Softer and easier to work than bread dough. 

Mix water, sugar, yeast and let the yeast sit until it is bubbling. 

Mix flour salt and oil in a mixing bowl or mixer. 

Slowly add wet ingredients to dry, mixing/kneading until fully incorporated. Add flour as needed until the dough is sticky but not wet to the touch; reserve some flour for kneading (you can add more, just don't add too much or the dough will get too stiff). 

Knead until the dough is soft and elastic (a mixer with a dough paddle is best for this). 

Place the dough into a floured bowl and coat generously with flour all over, leaving some in the bottom of the bowl for use later when you form the pizza. Cover the bowl with saran. 

Allow the dough to rise in a warm place. 

To prepare the pizza, roll the dough out (using the flour in the bowl) to a circular shape or form it over a closed fist and throw it into the air, spinning it, to form a circular shape. Make the dough as thin or thick as you would like. 

If you prefer a thick, doughy crust allow the dough to rise a second time on the pan. 

Brush a pan with olive oil (seasoned oil works well, e.g. rosemary and garlic, or a spicy oil) and place the dough on the pan. 

Preheat an oven to 500. 

Brush the pizza dough with olive oil and top with salt, pepper, and any spices you would like to flavour the crust with. 

Bake in the oven until the dough is lightly browned. 

Remove from the oven and top with tomato sauce (or pesto, etc). 

In a bowl, mix your other toppings with grated/chopped cheese and distribute evenly over the sauce. 

Bake again until the cheese is melted and brown. 

When you remove the pizza from the oven the final time a nice touch is to brush the exposed crust with garlic butter and sprinkle fresh grated parmesan cheese over the hot pizza and some fresh ground black pepper.