Once you learn how to make pizza dough, you'll never settle for takeaway again. It's easy, quick and tastes incredible.
Making pizzas at home requires very little effort, but it does require a little planning. That's because, although you only need about 10 minutes to mix and knead the dough, it then needs about 1 hour to rise.
There's nothing hands of for you to do during that hour, so it's not hard, as such, you just need to remember to make the dough an hour before you get ravenously hungry and start reaching for the takeaway menu.
Then it's just a case of topping and baking, which barely takes longer than ordering a pizza online.
So, let's just do a speedy run through of making a pizza at home. First you mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl with warm water and olive oil, then you push and fold it over and over on the counter for about 8 minutes until it's smooth. Next, you cover it and leave it to rise.
An hour later, you come back to your dough, crack up the oven, roll the dough out, spread it with tomato sauce and scatter with cheese and season.
All that takes about 10 minutes, then bake for 5-10 minutes (depending on your oven) and that's it! Super delicious pizza with about 20 mins hands on time and 10 mins or less in the oven. Boom!
If you're make your own pizza dough, you'll find the full recipe below. Alongside the ingredients, recommended equipment list and step by step instructions, I've included loads of tips and a photo of every step, so you can nail it first time.
Ingredients
For the pizza dough (makes 2)
- 300 g strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp fast action yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 20 ml olive oil
- 180 ml warm water
To top
- 200 g herby passata (or pizza sauce)
- 150 g mozzarella cheese fresh or shredded
- salt and black pepper
- bunch Fresh basil
Equipment
- Dough scraper (optional)
Instructions
Make your pizza dough
Measure the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a large bowl.
Stir to distribute everything evenly.
Add the olive oil and warm water.
Mix with a wooden spoon or dough scraper to give a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If it feels sticky, cover it with the upturned bowl and leave it for 5 minutes - you'll find it's then much more manageable.
Knead the dough by placing your the heel of your hand on top of it and pushing away from yourself, then folding it back on itself as you pull it towards you.
Repeat, alternating between hands, if you can, as is the method taught at Leiths for about 8 minutes in total.
As you knead, the dough will gradually become soft and smooth.
Hold the dough in your hands and pinch it together underneath a few times while rotating to create a taut top. Press the top with the flat of your fingers and if it bounces back, the gluten in your dough is adequately developed and you can stop kneading.
Wipe and oil the bowl and return the dough to it.
Cover with a cloth, cling film or a shower cap and place somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size.
Shape your pizza dough
Now that you're ready to shape your pizzas, it's time to turn the oven on. Turn it as hot as it will get - the hotter the better. Ours goes up to 230C.
Press your fist into the top of the dough to collapse the larger air bubbles. This is called 'knocking back'.
Gather the dough into a ball, kneading just briefly to remove any further large bubbles.
Divide the dough neatly in two - it's easiest to do this with a dough scraper or a knife rather than trying to tear it apart as the gluten will stretch and go ragged.
Working with one piece at a time on a floured surface, use your fingers to press out and stretch the dough a bit.
If you have the skill, you can continue to stretch the dough out with your fingers until you have a thin round dough about the size of a dinner plate.
However, if you don't fear angering your Italian friends, you can grab a rolling pin and roll your pizza dough to size. I tend to go for a rectangular shape as it is easier to shape and fits a simple baking sheet (approx 25x30cm / 10 x 12 inches) more easily.
Don't lose heart if your dough keeps shrinking back, just cover it with a tea towel and give it a rest for a couple of minutes. This will allow the gluten to relax and allow you to continue to gently roll and stretch it into shape.
Top and bake your pizza
Transfer your dough to a nonstick baking sheet. If it loses its shape, simply lift the corners and gently stretch the dough back into place.
Spread with the arrabbiata / pizza sauce. It's best to be sparing as too much sauce will overwhelm the thin crust.
Tear the mozzarella and dot it all over the top of the pizza. Or simply scatter over the top if you're using pre-shredded.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
You can now repeat the process for the second pizza, or bake the first while shaping the second.
To bake, place the pizza tray in the very hot oven and bake until the crust turns pale golden and the mozzarella just starts to caramelise at the edges.
This will take somewhere between 4 and 12 minutes depending on how hot your oven is able to get.
When you remove the pizza from the oven, take great care as the metal tray will be very hot.
Transfer to a wooden board and scatter with fresh basil leaves.
Slice and enjoy hot.
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Print this guide to making pizza dough
How to make pizza dough
Ingredients
For the pizza dough (makes 2)
- 300 g strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp fast action yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 20 ml olive oil
- 180 ml warm water
To top
- 200 g herby passata (or pizza sauce)
- 150 g mozzarella cheese fresh or shredded
- salt and black pepper
- bunch Fresh basil
Equipment
- Dough scraper (optional)
Instructions
Make your pizza dough
- Measure the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a large bowl and stir to distribute everything evenly.
- Add the olive oil and warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or dough scraper to give a shaggy dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If it feels sticky, cover it with the upturned bowl and leave it for 5 minutes - you'll find it's then much more manageable.
- Knead the dough by placing your the heel of your hand on top of it and pushing away from yourself, then folding it back on itself as you pull it towards you.
- Repeat, alternating between hands, if you can, as is the method taught at Leiths for about 8 minutes in total.
- As you knead, the dough will gradually become soft and smooth. Hold the dough in your hands and pinch it together underneath a few times while rotating to create a taut top. Press the top with the flat of your fingers and if it bounces back, the gluten in your dough is adequately developed and you can stop kneading.
- Wipe and oil the bowl and return the dough to it. Cover with a cloth, cling film or a shower cap and place somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size.
Shape your pizza dough
- Now that you're ready to shape your pizzas, it's time to turn the oven on. Turn it as hot as it will get - the hotter the better. Ours goes up to 230C.
- Press your fist into the top of the dough to collapse the larger air bubbles. This is called 'knocking back'.
- Gather the dough into a ball, kneading just briefly to remove any further large bubbles.
- Divide the dough neatly in two - it's easiest to do this with a dough scraper or a knife rather than trying to tear it apart as the gluten will stretch and go ragged.
- Working with one piece at a time on a floured surface, use your fingers to press out and stretch the dough a bit.
- If you have the skill, you can continue to stretch the dough out with your fingers until you have a thin round dough about the size of a dinner plate. However, if you don't fear angering your Italian friends, you can grab a rolling pin and roll your pizza dough to size. I tend to go for a rectangular shape as it is easier to shape and fits a simple baking sheet more easily. Don't lose heart if your dough keeps shrinking back, just cover it with a tea towel and give it a rest for a couple of minutes. This will allow the gluten to relax and allow you to continue to gently roll and stretch it into shape.
Top and bake your pizza
- Transfer your dough to a nonstick baking sheet. If it loses its shape, simply lift the corners and gently stretch the dough back into place.
- Spread with the arrabbiata / pizza sauce. It's best to be sparing as too much sauce will overwhelm the thin crust.
- Tear the mozzarella and dot it all over the top of the pizza. Or simply scatter over the top if you're using pre-shredded.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- You can now repeat the process for the second pizza, or bake the first while shaping the second.
- To bake, place the pizza tray in the very hot oven and bake until the crust turns pale golden and the mozzarella just starts to caramelise at the edges. This will take somewhere between 4 and 12 minutes depending on how hot your oven is able to get.
- When you remove the pizza from the oven, take great care as the metal tray will be very hot.
- Transfer to a wooden board and scatter with fresh basil leaves. Slice and enjoy hot.
Nutrition
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