Foolproof Pizza Crust
This is by far the best pizza crust recipe I’ve tried to date, and produces a thin, hand-tossed style crust. If you don’t have a pizza stone, bake the pizza on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet. You can shape the second dough round while the first pizza bakes, but don’t add the toppings until just before baking. You will need a pizza peel for this recipe. It is important to use ice water in the dough to prevent it from overheating in the food processor. Semolina flour is ideal for dusting the peel; use it in place of bread flour if you have it (in a pinch, corn meal makes an acceptable substitute for semolina). This recipe makes two 13-inch pizzas.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (16.5 ounces) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Method:
1. Process flour, sugar, and yeast in food processor (fitted with dough blade if possible) until combined, about 5 seconds. With processor running, slowly add water and process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds Let dough stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears the sides of bowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl; cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
3. One hour before baking, adjust oven rack 4 to 5 inches from broiler element, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Transfer dough to clean counter and divide in half with bench scraper. Form each piece into a tight ball. Space dough balls at least 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover sheet loosely with plastic coated with vegetable oil spray;let dough rise for 1 hour.
4. Coat one dough ball generously with flour and place on well-floured counter (keep the other dough ball covered). Using your fingertips, gently flatten dough into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using your hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns. Transfer dough to well-floured pizza peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup of sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle with cheese and additional toppings, if desired. Carefully slide pizza onto baking stone and bake until crust is well-browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through baking. Transfer pizza to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
5. Repeat process of shaping, topping and baking with remaining dough and toppings.