ROTD: Homemade Pizza Dough

Today is National Cheese Pizza Day. Sure you could run out to Dominos, Pizza Hut or even the local Haute-Cuisine location of the moment and grab yourself a few slices, but why not make something special for yourself?

When your Great Grandparents needed something or wanted to make a meal for the family, most likely they did themselves and felt a sense of accomplishment after doing so. We need to bring the era back to life, where the kids actually want to get their hands dirty for the sense of something good.

Write down this list of ingredients and make a quick stop at your local grocery store on your way home from work. When you get home, make yourself some Pizza Dough, roll it out and top it with whatever your heart desires. But more importantly, take a moment and enjoy the labor of your hard work, just because you and your loved ones deserve it.

Ingredients

1 TBS sugar

1 ¼-ounce packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

3 ¾ cups a-p flour, plus more for dusting

1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt

Directions:

Whisk 1 – 1/3 cups warm water (Roughly around 105 degrees F) and the sugar in a bowl; sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and set aside until the mixture becomes foamy (about 10 mins.)

Stir in the olive oil.

Whisk the flour and Kosher salt together in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture.

Gradually stir with a wooden spoon to make a rough dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. 

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, dusting with more flour if necessary.

Form into 2 balls.

Brush 2 large bowls with olive oil, add a ball of dough to each and turn to coat with the oil.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Roll out and top as desired, or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month.