Simple Pizza Dough for Pizza Night
I love making pizza at home. In fact, I rarely order pizza because I know how to make my own.
Making pizza at home gives me the freedom to choose everything—the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings. Sometimes I make a classic pizza, and other times I simply look in the refrigerator and use whatever vegetables, cheese, or leftover protein I have available. Those pizzas often turn out to be some of the best.
This dough is simple enough for beginners and can be prepared ahead of time. You can make it the day before and refrigerate it overnight, which also gives the dough more time to develop flavor.
Once you become comfortable making your own pizza dough, pizza night becomes less about following one recipe and more about creating whatever pizza you feel like eating.
Yields:
1 large pizza
Suplies:
Baking tray
Pizza stone*
Pizza peel*
Pizza baking sreen
Dough
Straight dough method, make one large pizza
Ingredients
250g bread flour or Italian 00 flour
2 tsp active dry yeast
180ml water, approximately 80–100°F (27–38°C)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
Method
Activate the yeast.
Place the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle in the active dry yeast. Stir gently and let stand for approximately 5 minutes.Mix the dough.
Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and begin mixing on low speed.Add the salt and olive oil.
Develop the gluten.
Knead with the dough hook for approximately 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.You can also knead the dough by hand if you don't have a mixer. A little elbow grease remains one of the few kitchen appliances that doesn't require charging.
First rise.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover, and let rise for approximately 2 hours, or until noticeably increased in volume.Shape the pizza.
Gently flatten the dough. Using your hands, press from the center outward and gradually stretch it to your desired size.You can also use a rolling pin for a thinner, more even crust.
Transfer the dough to your prepared baking sheet, pizza pan, or baking surface.
Final proof.
Let the shaped dough rest for approximately 30 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings.Add your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake according to the style of pizza you are making.
Top & Bake
Preheat the oven to 470–500°F (245–260°C). Allow the oven to become fully heated before baking.
After the shaped dough has rested for approximately 30 minutes, add your choice of sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, depending on your oven, the thickness of the crust, and the amount of toppings.
The pizza is ready when the crust is golden and crisp around the edges, the bottom is well baked, and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Make It Ahead
For even more convenience, prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it overnight.
After the first rise, cover the dough well and place it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to make pizza, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to warm and relax before stretching.
To Freeze: Wrap the dough well and freeze for up to 2-3 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring it toward room temperature before shaping.
Choose Your Own Toppings
This is where homemade pizza becomes fun.
I enjoy making different styles of pizza—Sicilian, Chicago-style deep dish, Neapolitan-inspired, Hawaiian, or simply a pizza made from whatever ingredients I already have in the refrigerator.
One of my favorites is Quattro Formaggi, made with four cheeses:
Fresh mozzarella
Parmesan
Goat cheese
Gorgonzola
I also love pesto on pizza, especially with caramelized onions. I often keep homemade pesto and caramelized onions ready in the refrigerator, which makes an easy pizza night even easier.
Baking with Confidence
Don't overload the pizza. Too much sauce or too many wet toppings can prevent the crust from baking properly.
If the dough keeps shrinking when you stretch it, stop. Cover it and let it relax for 10–15 minutes before trying again. The gluten needs a rest, not a wrestling match.
For better flavor, use the overnight method. A slower refrigerated fermentation can give your dough more developed flavor than making and baking it immediately. Voila !
I always make pesto sauce, onion caramel ready to use in the fridge :)
Enjoy your homemade pizza!
