Basic Pizza Dough

[NineStarPhantom]

Please note that I do my Breads largely by feel, so none of these are exactly researched. Play with it, have some fun, it'll be great, I promise. I'm also assuming you know at least a little bit about how to handle basic bread. If not, look that up. I may post some breads later.

 

To make one 12" pizza:

 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup water and some yeast. Amount of yeast will determine time required, but it is not advisable to exceed 1 tablespoon. (If you consider 'doesn't taste like beer' a desirable trait in pizza, 1 tablespoon may also be excessive.) Bloom according to directions on your yeast.
2. Mix in 1-1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup cornmeal until fully incorporated.
3. Add flour in small quantities until it is tacky, but doesn't cling to your fingers.
4. Knead and let rise.
5. After dough has approximately doubled in size, poke with one or two fingers. If it only regains about half the depth of your poking, then knead it and stretch flat on pizza baking surface of choice. (Baking sheet, pizza stone, convenient rock or slab of metal, whatever floats your boat.)
6. Heat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Add desired toppings to pizza. It is advised to layer applicable cheeses or similar dietary replacement between the sauce and other toppings, then spread some more on top of all other toppings to help hold them in place slightly while cutting.
8. Bake until the top looks fully melted and the bottom sounds hard when tapped.
9. Remove and serve, allowing to cool prior to serving optional.

No, it's not a pretty recipe, but it does the job. Playing with the amount of water and flour can also help you make the crust more or less puffy by layering more or less dough, and the cornmeal helps make it crunchier. Adding butter/oil will make the dough softer, but not puffier.

Edited November 17, 2023 by NineStarPhantom
additional information (see edit history)