If you are thinking of making some homemade meals, why not make everyone’s favorite? Pizza! Making homemade pizza dough can be easy and fun for kids, and you can make it in bulk, so you have an extra pizza, calzone or garlic knots for another day!
The Homemade Pizza Dough Menu
This easy recipe allows for two dough balls, which is enough for your choice of:
1 (18 inch) pizza
2 (12-14 inch pizzas)
2 calzones
2 (1 dozen) garlic knots
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients:
350 grams of high-quality bread flour (the higher the protein the better; we use King Arthur brand)
210 grams of water
1.5 grams of active dry yeast or instant yeast
4 grams of salt (any salt will work)
5 grams of sugar
6 grams of olive oil
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly with a whisk. Then mix 210 grams of cool water with dry ingredients with a fork and let sit. After ten minutes, knead by hand or in a mixer with a dough hook for 12 minutes. It should be smooth and soft when you are finished mixing. Take the dough ball out and shape it so that it is uniform, in a tight ball. Pour a small amount of oil in the bottom of a bowl. Set the dough in the bowl and roll the dough ball around to cover bowl and dough oil with oil. Then turn the dough bowl so its top (the smoothest surface) is facing up. Cover the dough with an airtight lid or plastic wrap. This must be airtight, so foil will not work. I recommend a Pyrex mixing bowl with lid.
Proof Your Dough
Let the dough ball rise for 3-4 hours. You can place it in the oven, turned off, to keep it out of your way. After the dough has doubled in size (and you may see dough bubbles form on it), knock it down. This means to de-gas the dough, removing all the air bubbles and returning it to close to its original size. After this is done, divide the dough ball according to what’s on the menu. For example, one large dough ball for an 18-inch pizza or two equal-sized dough balls for a 14-inch pizza and calzone.
Sprinkle a little flour and spread out your dough and add sauce, cheese, and toppings to your heart’s delight!
