The Best Pizza Crust! (natashaskitchen)

1 1/4 c warm water
1/2 t active dry yeast
1 t honey
1/2 T fine sea salt
3 1/3 c flour

In a small bowl stir together water, honey and salt then sprinkle the top with yeast. Let sit 5 min then stir. Measure flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mix into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 min (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp 4 – 5 hours or until doubled in size. Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.

How to Form a Pizza Crust: Remove the dough 1 hour before using to let it relax and come to room temp. Before forming the pizza crust, fully preheat your oven so pizza can be baked right away. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet onto the center rack of the oven and preheat to 550˚ F. Also, lightly flour a pizza peel and prep toppings. When dough is about room temp and oven is preheated, transfer 1 piece of dough to a floured surface, turning to lightly coat in flour. Pat the center of the dough gently with fingertips. DO NOT pop any bubbles present. Lift the dough over both knuckles and roll your knuckles under the center of the dough, working outward as you rotate the dough along your knuckles and leaving a thicker crust at the edge. Continue working the dough until a 10 – 12” pizza has formed. It will shrink slightly so make it a little bigger than you think. Place the dough down on a lightly floured pizza peel. Give the pizza peel a little shake to make sure the pizza slides over it and is not sticking. Spread on desired pizza sauce and toppings. Give the pizza another jolt to make sure it slides on the pizza peel (you don’t want it to stick while transferring it into the oven). Slide pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 8 – 10 min or until crust is golden brown and some of the larger bubbles on the crust are lightly scorched to ensure a crisp crust. Makes 2, 10 – 12″ crusts. Note: Use a high-quality flour or organic all-purpose flour.

Tagged: Breads & Rolls