Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)


• 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast


• 1 teaspoon honey


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon salt


• Yellow cornmeal, for sprinkling the baking sheet

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, stirring to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. You might not need all of the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl with remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Variations:

Parmesan Pizza Dough:

Substitute 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese for 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour. Use a pinch of salt instead of 1 teaspoon. Proceed as directed above.

Oregano Pizza Dough:

Stir 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano in with the flour and proceed as directed above.

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Fruit Pizza

Total Time: 45 min Prep: 30 min Cook: 15 min

Yield: 8 servings Level: Easy

Ingredients

• Pizza Dough:


• 1 package store bought sugar cookie dough


• Toppings:


• 8 ounces softened cream cheese


• 1 cup confectioners' sugar


• 1 large peach, sliced


• 1 large green apple, sliced


• 1 large orange, sectioned


• 1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced


• 6 ounces fresh blueberries


• 6 ounces fresh raspberries


• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted


• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 11 to 15 minutes. Cool. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced fruit. In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup. Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture. Slice and serve immediately.

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Whole-Grain Salami and Mozzarella Pizza

Total Time: 30 min Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min

Yield: 4 servings (two 11-inch pizzas) Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

• Whole Multigrain Pizza Dough, recipe follows


• White whole-wheat flour, for work surface


• 1/3 cup pizza sauce


• 6 thin slices of salami (about 1 1/2 ounces)


• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices


• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish


• Crushed red pepper


• Whole-Multigrain Pizza Dough:


• Not all multigrain products are equal; in fact, most are made with refined white flour. For this dough we used white whole-wheat flour, a relative of the red wheat variety but with the same nutritional value, and we added quinoa and whole-grain bulgur wheat for extra fiber. We also added seeds, like sunflower and flax; the flaxseeds are ground to make them easier to digest and more nutritionally available.


• 2 tablespoons whole-grain bulgur


• 2 tablespoons quinoa


• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds


• 3/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)


• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey


• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast


• 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour (6 ounces), plus more for kneading


• Kosher salt


• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil


• 1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds

Directions

Set a pizza stone or a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.

Divide the pizza dough into 2 balls. Put one ball on a heavily floured surface and roll and shape into a thin 11-inch circle with a thicker edge. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or floured upside-down baking sheet. Spread half the pizza sauce evenly on the dough round. Top with 3 slices of salami and half the cheese. (Make sure the dough, with all its toppings, can slide back and forth easily on the pizza peel; if not, add more flour.)

Carefully slide the dough onto the hot pizza stone (the dough may not be perfectly round when it slides onto the stone). Bake until the bottom of the crust is lightly browned and very crisp and the cheese is melted, about 7 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, top with basil and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper. Cut into 4 pieces. Repeat with the second ball of dough and remaining toppings.

Per serving (2 slices): Calories: 480; Fat: 20 g (Saturated: 8 g); Cholesterol: 40 mg; Sodium: 800 mg; Carbohydrate: 51 g; Protein: 23 g; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g

Whole-Multigrain Pizza Dough:

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Add the bulgur and quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the grains to a fine-mesh strainer and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking. Let the grains drain in the strainer for 15 minutes, then spread them out on a thick layer of paper towels to absorb any extra moisture. Meanwhile, coarsely grind the flaxseeds in a spice grinder, just to break them open.

Stir together the warm water, agave and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, discard and try again with new yeast.)

Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl; add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and mix together with a stiff rubber spatula. When the dough starts to come together, mix in the cooked grains, ground flaxseeds and sunflower seeds; form the dough into a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape and use any dough stuck to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this stage. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, working in just enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist to the touch. Flour your hands periodically to prevent sticking. Form the dough into one single ball or divide it into smaller balls. Place the dough ball(s) on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, the dough can be shaped and cooked as desired.

Yield: 1 pound pizza dough

Per serving (1/4 pound): Calories: 290; Fat: 7 g (Saturated: 1 g); Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 260 mg; Carbohydrate: 47 g; Fiber: 10 g; Protein: 11 g; Sugar: 2 g

Copyright 2013 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

When you are stretching the dough, the whole grains and seeds may poke holes in it. Just patch them over and continue.

Keep parbaked pizza shells on hand for quick weeknight meals. Roll the dough out into rounds and bake on a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cool, wrap the pizza shells well and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings to the frozen pizza shell and bake on a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet at 500 degrees F until hot.

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Prime-Time Pizza Dough

Total Time: 2 hr 10 min Prep: 2 hr Cook: 10 min

Yield: enough for 2 large pizzas or 4 small pizzas Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sugar


• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl


• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt


• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the sugar in 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add the olive oil and salt, then use the dough hook to mix in the flour until the dough starts to come together. Allow the machine to knead the dough until smooth. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can pulse the dough in a food processor until it is smooth and elastic. Or combine by hand in a large bowl.)

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead 2 to 3 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half for 2 large pizzas, or into 4 pieces for small individual pizzas. Form into smooth, tight balls, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a well-floured kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise again, 30 to 45 minutes. (If you're not using the dough right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.)

Set a pizza stone in the oven and sprinkle a pizza peel lightly with flour. (If you don't have a stone, you can bake your pizza on a pizza pan or baking sheet sprinkled with flour.) Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Press the dough with your fingers until it's as flat as possible, then drape it over both of your fists and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size and thickness, place it on the pizza peel (or on the prepared pan). Top the pizza as desired and slide it from the peel onto the hot stone (or transfer the pan to the oven).

Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until the crust is crisp and golden.

Guy's Favorite Topping Combos

The French Pig (pictured above)

Cooked pancetta, sauteed leeks and apple, brie, balsamic vinegar

The Motley Que

Pulled chicken, barbecue sauce, red onions, cilantro, fontina

Spicy Hawaiian

Canadian bacon, pineapple, red jalapeno, marinara sauce, mozzarella

Au Naturel

Parmigiano-reggiano, fresh rosemary, olive oil, cracked black pepper, sea salt

Photograph by Dave Lauridsen

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Classic Margherita Pizza - New York Style

Total Time: 1 hr 13 min Prep: 35 min Cook: 38 minYield: 1 pizza

Ingredients

• Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought


• All-purpose flour, for dusting


• 3 cup Tomato Sauce, recipe follows


• 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• Fresh basil leaves


• Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds


• Cornmeal, for stone


• Special equipment: Pizza stone


• Basic Tomato Sauce:


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1/2 red onion, small dice


• 4 tablespoons minced garlic


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped


• 3 tablespoons red wine


• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes


• 1/2 cup water

Directions

Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds.

Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Basic Tomato Sauce:

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.

Yield: about 3 cups

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Classic Margherita Pizza - New York Style

Total Time: 1 hr 13 min Prep: 35 min Cook: 38 min

Yield: 1 pizza

Ingredients

• Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought


• All-purpose flour, for dusting


• 3 cup Tomato Sauce, recipe follows


• 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• Fresh basil leaves


• Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds


• Cornmeal, for stone


• Special equipment: Pizza stone


• Basic Tomato Sauce:


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1/2 red onion, small dice


• 4 tablespoons minced garlic


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped


• 3 tablespoons red wine


• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes


• 1/2 cup water

Directions

Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds.

Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Basic Tomato Sauce:

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.

Yield: about 3 cups

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Prime-Time Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sugar


• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl


• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt


• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the sugar in 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F). Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add the olive oil and salt, then use the dough hook to mix in the flour until the dough starts to come together. Allow the machine to knead the dough until smooth. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can pulse the dough in a food processor until it is smooth and elastic. Or combine by hand in a large bowl.)

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and knead 2 to 3 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half for 2 large pizzas, or into 4 pieces for small individual pizzas. Form into smooth, tight balls, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a well-floured kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise again, 30 to 45 minutes. (If you're not using the dough right away, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.)

Set a pizza stone in the oven and sprinkle a pizza peel lightly with flour. (If you don't have a stone, you can bake your pizza on a pizza pan or baking sheet sprinkled with flour.) Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Press the dough with your fingers until it's as flat as possible, then drape it over both of your fists and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size and thickness, place it on the pizza peel (or on the prepared pan). Top the pizza as desired and slide it from the peel onto the hot stone (or transfer the pan to the oven).

Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until the crust is crisp and golden.

Guy's Favorite Topping Combos

The French Pig (pictured above)

Cooked pancetta, sauteed leeks and apple, brie, balsamic vinegar

The Motley Que

Pulled chicken, barbecue sauce, red onions, cilantro, fontina

Spicy Hawaiian

Canadian bacon, pineapple, red jalapeno, marinara sauce, mozzarella

Au Naturel

Parmigiano-reggiano, fresh rosemary, olive oil, cracked black pepper, sea salt

Photograph by Dave Lauridsen

Read More