Artisan Pizza Crust

This recipe is all about the crust! The crisp, chewy, airy crust that only comes from a pizzeria... right in your kitchen!

Ingredients:

2 cups bread or all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup + 1 tbsp water, 105-110°F

Mix the dry ingredients together then stir in the water just until combined. It will be lumpy and may even have a dry patch or two, that's ok.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for at least 24 hours (this one ⭣ was actually 29 hours).

The dough should then be puffed and hydrated.

If you are using a pizza stone (best for even heat and a crispy crust!) place it in the cold oven on the center rack. Preheat the oven to 525°F.

Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured surface. Dust the top of the ball then cut it in half. With floured hands, take 1 half and pull and stretch it, folding over on itself 4 times. Then pull the corners underneath to form a ball. Place the ball seam side down in a floured bowl. Repeat with the other half.

Cover the bowls and leave at room temperature for about one hour. Sitting them on top of the stove while it preheats is a good spot.

Carefully place a ball of dough onto your floured counter and using your fingertips gently press out into a circle, leaving the outer edge untouched as much as possible for that bubbly, airy crust. Then take the dough and start to move and stretch it using your fists and gravity (and flour!) to shape it. If it doesn't want to stretch, let it rest 5 or 10 minutes then try again. It should stretch to about 7-8". Repeat with the second ball of dough.

Place on parchment paper and trim the paper to the edge of the dough so that it doesn't burn in the oven. Top how you like it. These were made with pizza sauce, pepperoni, red pepper, pineapple (yes pineapple!) and mozzarella with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Slide a pizza peel under the parchment and place the pizzas on the pizza stone. Bake at 525°F for 10-13 minutes, then broil 8" from broiler a minute or two for that little bit of char 😋

Makes 2 servings OR make 1 - 10-12" beauty like this⭣

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