INGREDIENTS

  • 2-2 1/3 cups of bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 packet of instant yeast
  • 2 tablespoon of olive oil plus some more
  • ¾ teaspoon of salt
  • ¾ cup of warm water
  • ¼ teaspoon of dried basil leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

  1. Take a big bowl, add 1 cup of flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Mix it well. If you want, you can add dried basil leaves and garlic powder in this step of preparing the dough.
  2. Now, add warm water and olive oil to the dough mix. Take a wooden spoon and combine it well. If you feel that the dough has become too sticky, add some more flour. Sometimes, you might need as much as 1/3 cup of flour to get the right consistency. Stir the dough as you mix the ingredients. This way it will form a cohesive ball. It will start pulling away from the corners and sides of your bowl. Keep in mind that the pizza dough is going to be a bit sticky. However, you should be able to manage it using your hands.
  3. Take another clean bowl and drizzle it with olive oil. Take the help of a pastry brush for coating the bowl with sides on all sides. Dust your hands with flour and make a small ball out of the pizza dough. Now, put it in the oil-brushed bowl. Coat it in oil by rolling it inside the bowl. Cover your bowl using a plastic wrap and store it in a warm place. Keep it for 30 minutes till the dough rises and becomes double the size. If you want to bake the dough into a pizza. Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit during this time. So, that by the time you have the dough ready, your oven is ready for baking the pizza.

  1. When the dough has risen enough, deflate it using your hands. Flour a flat surface and transfer the dough. Knead it till it is smooth enough. You can use a rolling pin or your hand for working the dough in 12-inch circle. Take a pizza pan lined with parchment paper for transferring the dough. Fold the edges or pinch the edges for forming a crust. Over the top of your pizza dough, drizzle it about a tablespoon of olive oil. Take a pastry brush and brush the pizza with olive oil. Pork holes with a fork at the center. Add the toppings you want and bake for 15 minutes. Slice it and serve.

NOTES

  • All-purpose flour gives you a soft crust and bread flours yields a crispier crust.