Pizza Dough

If you want to up the game on pizza night, this homemade dough will do the trick.

• For the dough: 
• 3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour, plus more for work surface (see note)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 1/3 cups ice water (about 10 1/2 ounces; see note)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for work surface
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• For the sauce: 
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid discarded
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1. For the dough: In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand 10 minutes.
• 2. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.
• 3. For the sauce: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 4.To bake the pizza: One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to second highest position (rack should be about 4 to 5 inches below broiler), set pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Shape each half into smooth, tight ball. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray; let stand for 1 hour.
• 5.Coat 1 ball of dough generously with flour and place on well-floured countertop. Using fingertips, gently flatten into 8-inch disk, leaving 1 inch of outer edge slightly thicker than center. Using hands, gently stretch disk into 12-inch round, working along edges and giving disk quarter turns as you stretch. Transfer dough to well-floured peel and stretch into 13-inch round. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by 1 cup mozzarella.
• 6.Slide pizza carefully onto stone and bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza halfway through. Remove pizza and place on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat step 5 to shape, top, and bake second pizza

Another simple recipe:

Friday night is usually pizza night at our house and this recipe is quick, easy and delicious.  It came with my favorite pizza pan, the Lodge Pro Logic 14-inch pizza pan.

3 cups bread flour, divided
1 packet active dry rapid-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, mix half cup of the flour with yeast and salt.  Dissolve honey in lukewarm water and add to mixture.  Add olive oil and in the bowl of a mixer, or using a wooden spoon, mix for 3 minutes.  Mix in remaining flour (dough should be only slightly sticky).  Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth, approximately 5 minutes.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise 10 minutes in a warm place.  Punch down and divide in half.  Allow to rise for 10 additional minutes and punch down and spread one of the halves by hand or roller onto your Lodge Pizza Pan.  Add toppings of your choice and place in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

*My usual lazy method for making this dough.  Add yeast, honey, olive oil to the water.  Let yeast rise for a few minutes and then add into the flour and salt.  Mix in bosch for a few minutes and then let rest in bosch for about 20 minutes.