Pizza Dough

Recipe Ingredients

1		Active dry or fresh yeast
1 teaspoon	5ml	Honey
1 cup	237ml	Warm water - (105 to 115 degrees)
3 cups	187g / 6.6oz	All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon	5ml	Kosher salt
1 tablespoon	15ml	Chili and Garlic Oil - (see recipe),
		= (or use extra-virgin olive oil) - plus more for
		Brushing
		Topping of your choice

Recipe Instructions

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, your mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix on low speed until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and clusters around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. (The pizza dough can also be made in a food processor. Dissolve the yeast as above. Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse once or twice, add the remaining ingredients, and process until the dough begins to form a ball.)

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 mintes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled.)

Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Pace a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

To prepare each pizza, dip the ball of dough into flour, shake off the excess flour, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface, and start to stretch the dough. Press down on the center, spreading the dough into an 8-inch circle, with the outer border a little thicker than the inner circle. If you find this difficult to do, use a small rolling pin to roll out the dough. Lightly brush the inner circle of the dough with oil and arrange the topping of your choice over the inner circle.

Using a lightly floured baker's peel or a rimless flat baking tray, slide the pizza onto the baking stone and bake until the pizza crust is nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remember that the oven is very hot and be careful as you place the pizza into and out of the oven. Transfer the pizza to a firm surface and cut into slices with a pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Serve immediately.

To Prepare Ahead: Through step 4. When ready to serve, remove the balls of dough from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then continue with the recipe. Through step 7, bake 5 or 6 minutes, until the cheese melts and the pizza dough is lightly golden brown. (At this point, the pizza can be cooled, wrapped well, and frozen for up to 1 month.) When needed, remove from the freezer, unwrap, and bake in a preheated oven until the crust has browned and the topping is heated through.

This recipe yields four 8-inch pizzas (about 24 ounces of dough). Serving size = 1/2 pizza

Nutrition per 1/2 pizza serving without toppings: Calories 191; Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 37g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 295mg; Protein 5g; Fiber 1g; Calories from Fat 9%; Calories from Carbs 77%.

Source:
Wolfgang Puck's Pizza, Pasta, and More by Wolfgang Puck, Judy - Gethers (Random House, 2000)

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