Applause for Prolific Pizza Dough!
Last night I made the most amazing calzones for supper. “Amazing” according to the folks at the table—I’m not tooting my own horn. While the filling was really good, for sure, I do believe the reason these were so exceptional was because of the pizza dough recipe I used to make them.
Even if you have your own favorite pizza dough recipe, you ought to try this one. It’s from a lovely website, www.sugarspunrun.com, and I cannot thank Sam (the site author and recipe creator) enough for this wonderful recipe. See what you think:
2 to 2 1/3 cups flour OR bread flour divided
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil + additional
3/4 cup warm water
Directions:
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Now armed with the best dough recipe ever, let’s look at some things you can do with pizza dough, besides make calzones and pizza:
BREADSTICKS. This is so much fun to do, and these add such a sparkle to what can be a ho-hum spaghetti dinner. I wrap thin strands of the dough around a couple chopsticks, then lay these crosswise on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake around 8 to 10 minutes at 350°F. I first saw breadsticks made this way at a local pizzeria, the Brick Oven.
CRACKERS. It’s true. If you ever find yourself with small scraps of dough — the pieces that don’t seem substantial enough to make anything with, yet you don’t want to throw them out — crackers are the answer. This has also become one of my favorite ways to use leftover pizza dough.
Roll the dough super thin and dock it with a fork. Then, brush the top with a thin layer of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Once cooled, break the crackers into bite-sized pieces.
DINNER ROLLS. Just cut and roll the dough into balls about the size of an apricot. Place them in a lightly oiled baking dish and let the dough rise for 40 minutes. Then lightly brush the tops with olive oil, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden-brown. We like how chewy they are.
BAGUETTE. Although it’s not a true baguette, it’s a pretty good substitute! If you prefer a long loaf to dinner rolls, it’s just a matter of using a little more dough than you would for rolls, and rolling it out long. Once the dough is rolled out, let it rise for 40 minutes until it almost doubles in size. Then lightly brush the top with butter or olive oil and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden-brown.
PITA BREAD. Still along the rolls and bread theme, pita bread is next. There’s actually very little difference between the recipes for pita bread and pizza dough. So go ahead and put pizza dough to work for your next lunch. Do keep one thing in mind, though: The key to making pita bread on the stovetop is a really HOT HOT pan.
DOUGHNUTS. It’s debatable whether or not pizza is actually a breakfast food, but the dough can certainly be used for one. These are a little more dense than regular doughnuts, but there’s no doubt they get the job done when it comes to satisfying a doughnut craving. When making this recipe, omit the garlic powder and dried basil. Then roll the dough into small doughnut holes or cut them into rings and fry.
See what I mean? There should be applause for prolific pizza dough—there are so many things you can do with it!
Even if you have your own favorite pizza dough recipe, you ought to try this one. It’s from a lovely website, www.sugarspunrun.com, and I cannot thank Sam (the site author and recipe creator) enough for this wonderful recipe. See what you think:
BEST Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
2 to 2 1/3 cups flour OR bread flour divided
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder and/or dried basil leaves, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil + additional
3/4 cup warm water
Directions:
1. Combine 1 cup (125g) of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. If desired, add garlic powder and dried basil at this point as well.
2. Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.
3. Gradually add another 1 cup of flour. Add any additional flour as needed (I've found that sometimes I need as much as an additional 1/3 cup), stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will still be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.
4. Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.
5. Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil
6. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.
7. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. If you intend to bake this dough into a pizza, I also recommend preheating your oven to 425°F at this point so that it will have reached temperature once your pizza is ready to bake.
8. Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times).
9. Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12" circle.
10. Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan and either pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.
11. Drizzle additional olive oil (about a tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil.
12. Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
13. Add desired toppings and bake in a 425°F preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown.
14. Slice and serve.
NOTES:
I've found that all-purpose flour yields a softer crust while bread flour gives a slightly crispier exterior. Please see the post for more information on all-purpose vs. bread flour in pizza dough.
Many commenters have reported using active dry yeast with success. Some people have proofed the yeast first with the 3/4 cup warm water, which is what I would recommend, while others have just mixed it into the dough as instructed.
Ideally your water should be between 105-115°F. I usually just use warm tap water but do make sure that your water isn't too hot or it will kill your yeast!
To make in advance, let the dough rise covered at room temperature as indicated in the recipe, then deflate it, wrap it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store in the refrigerator for up to several days or it will freeze for up to a month.
2. Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.
3. Gradually add another 1 cup of flour. Add any additional flour as needed (I've found that sometimes I need as much as an additional 1/3 cup), stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will still be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.
4. Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.
5. Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil
6. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.
7. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. If you intend to bake this dough into a pizza, I also recommend preheating your oven to 425°F at this point so that it will have reached temperature once your pizza is ready to bake.
8. Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times).
9. Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12" circle.
10. Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan and either pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.
11. Drizzle additional olive oil (about a tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil.
12. Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
13. Add desired toppings and bake in a 425°F preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown.
14. Slice and serve.
NOTES:
I've found that all-purpose flour yields a softer crust while bread flour gives a slightly crispier exterior. Please see the post for more information on all-purpose vs. bread flour in pizza dough.
Many commenters have reported using active dry yeast with success. Some people have proofed the yeast first with the 3/4 cup warm water, which is what I would recommend, while others have just mixed it into the dough as instructed.
Ideally your water should be between 105-115°F. I usually just use warm tap water but do make sure that your water isn't too hot or it will kill your yeast!
To make in advance, let the dough rise covered at room temperature as indicated in the recipe, then deflate it, wrap it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store in the refrigerator for up to several days or it will freeze for up to a month.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Now armed with the best dough recipe ever, let’s look at some things you can do with pizza dough, besides make calzones and pizza:
BREADSTICKS. This is so much fun to do, and these add such a sparkle to what can be a ho-hum spaghetti dinner. I wrap thin strands of the dough around a couple chopsticks, then lay these crosswise on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake around 8 to 10 minutes at 350°F. I first saw breadsticks made this way at a local pizzeria, the Brick Oven.
CRACKERS. It’s true. If you ever find yourself with small scraps of dough — the pieces that don’t seem substantial enough to make anything with, yet you don’t want to throw them out — crackers are the answer. This has also become one of my favorite ways to use leftover pizza dough.
Roll the dough super thin and dock it with a fork. Then, brush the top with a thin layer of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Once cooled, break the crackers into bite-sized pieces.
DINNER ROLLS. Just cut and roll the dough into balls about the size of an apricot. Place them in a lightly oiled baking dish and let the dough rise for 40 minutes. Then lightly brush the tops with olive oil, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden-brown. We like how chewy they are.
BAGUETTE. Although it’s not a true baguette, it’s a pretty good substitute! If you prefer a long loaf to dinner rolls, it’s just a matter of using a little more dough than you would for rolls, and rolling it out long. Once the dough is rolled out, let it rise for 40 minutes until it almost doubles in size. Then lightly brush the top with butter or olive oil and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden-brown.
PITA BREAD. Still along the rolls and bread theme, pita bread is next. There’s actually very little difference between the recipes for pita bread and pizza dough. So go ahead and put pizza dough to work for your next lunch. Do keep one thing in mind, though: The key to making pita bread on the stovetop is a really HOT HOT pan.
DOUGHNUTS. It’s debatable whether or not pizza is actually a breakfast food, but the dough can certainly be used for one. These are a little more dense than regular doughnuts, but there’s no doubt they get the job done when it comes to satisfying a doughnut craving. When making this recipe, omit the garlic powder and dried basil. Then roll the dough into small doughnut holes or cut them into rings and fry.
See what I mean? There should be applause for prolific pizza dough—there are so many things you can do with it!
Sources:
- www.sugarspunrun.com
- www.icecreaminspiration.com
- www.circle-b-kitchen.com
- www.pinterest.com
- www.thefreshloaf.com
- www.smittenkitchen.com
- www.foodnetwork.co.uk
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
