Tuscan Sun Pizza Dough

Yields: 3 pizzas (10-12 inch)

Time 1 hour

Ingredients:

¼ cup warm water (105-115⁰)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

3-4 cups bread flour or all purpose white flour

½ teaspoons coarse salt (we think it could have used more salt…maybe 1 tsp)

1 ¼ cups warm water or warm beer

Directions

1.       Combine ¼ cup warm water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl.  Mix with a spoon.  Let sit until foamy 4 to 5 mins.  Add olive oil.

2.       In a large bowl add the flour and salt.  Make a well.  Stir in the yeast mixture and the warm water or warm beer.  Use your hands if you want to.  When you can’t stir anymore and the dough is thick, yet sticky, bring it together with your hands and put out on a lightly floured counter or a breadboard and knead with your hands for 5-7 mins, adding more flour if it is still sticky, until the dough is very smooth.  Shape into a ball.

3.       Oil a large bowl with a little olive oil.  Place dough in bowl smooth side down, then turn the dough over and cover with a wet dish towel or oiled plastic wrap.  Let rise until double in bulk (about 1 hour).

4.       When the dough has doubled, punch down and divide into 3 equal balls (or 6 balls for Tuscan thin crust).  Meanwhile, turn the oven to 500⁰.  Roll the dough very thin into a 10-12 inch round or rectangle.

5.       Place the dough onto a lightly oiled (or use parchment paper) pizza pan, baking sheet or pizza peel. If using a pizza peel, mix 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon corn meal.  Sprinkle on peel.  Place the dough on the peel then move it to a stone or tile.  (work quickly: moisture will start to form in the dough and will make it difficult to slide the pizza off the peel onto a stone or tiles)

6.       Prepare the pizza with toppings to your liking.  Bake in a 500⁰ oven for 6-8 minutes on bottom oven rack until crisp.

7.       You can also freeze unused dough for up to 2 months.  When ready to use, take out of freezer and let the dough come to room temperature and form dough into pizzas.  Bake as directed.

Recipe from our favorite, Liz Edmunds, The Food Nanny