Homemade Pizza

I don't know if I ever shared my pizza crust recipe...

Pizza Crust

2 tsp activated yeast
1/4 cup warm water

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup warm water

Additional flour as needed.

In a small bowl, stir the yeast together with the 1/4 cup warm water, set aside.  In a large bowl, sift the flour and the salt together.  Make a well in the center.  Add the yeast mixture.  Pour the 1/2 cup of warm water into the yeast bowl and swirl to get the last of the yeasty goodness.  Add that to the flour.  Add in the olive oil.  Using your fingers, slowly incorporate the wet into the dry, starting from the center and pulling the dry into the wet until it's all combined.  Once you get all the dough off your fingers, flour your hands and begin kneading - stopping frequently to re-flour your hands.  Knead for 7 minutes.  (I knead it right in the bowl.  Cuts down on the mess.)  Once the kneading is done and you have a nice ball of dough, oil the bowl and the ball of dough.  Cover the bowl with a towel and set it somewhere warm for an hour - or until the ball doubles in size.  Punch the risen dough ball in the center, so it collapses. Take the dough and slap it into the center of a greased* pizza pan.  Work it from the center outward, spinning the pan as you go, until it's the size of pizza you want.  I can get a 16" thin crust out of this recipe.  Sometimes, I cut the dough in half after punching, use half to make a smaller pizza and freeze the other half for next time.

I do not knead the dough after it rises.  It makes the crust tough and I don't like doing it.

Once you top it with your favorite stuffs, bake it at 475F for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the crust start to brown.  (We like this crust browner, so I usually end up going the full 20.  Your mileage may vary.)

I've also brushed the outer crust with butter, which is nice sometimes.  I may try adding a seasoning to the dry part of this and see how that goes.  I'm thinking a little oregano.

Anyway, that's the crust I always make.  I've screwed with the recipe a couple times, but this is the one that works best. 

Yeah, making pizza crust can be a pain in the butt (and the wrists), but I think it's worth it.  I know Hubs appreciates it.  Pizza night here is cause for celebration and much woohoo'ing. 

Have you ever made your own pizza crust?

*I use non-stick cooking spray.