My Moms Pizza

50 Minutes

Pizza – a beloved dish celebrated across continents and cultures. The heart of a perfect pizza? Its dough. Today, were diving deep into crafting the perfect homemade pizza dough that’s not only foolproof but also requires just a handful of ingredients. Whether you’re a pizza aficionado or a casual enthusiast, this guide is for you.

The beauty of this homemade pizza dough is in its simplicity. With only a few ingredients, which you probably already have in your kitchen, you can create a base that rivals those of the best pizzerias.

This recipe is my moms recipe that has been around for over 30 years! My mom came to the states in her early 20’s and her first job was at Pizza Hut. This was back in the early 90’s when Pizza Hut use to make the dough from scratch and hand roll and toss it! So when I tell you this recipes fool proof, trust me it’s fool proof but also identical to the Pizza Hut pan pizza.

Essential Pizza Tools

1. Why Homemade Dough?

There are several reasons to opt for homemade pizza dough:

• Freshness: Store-bought doughs, while convenient, can’t compete with the freshness of a homemade batch.
• Customization: You control the thickness, texture, and flavor.
• Economical: With just basic ingredients, you save a lot compared to store-bought or restaurant pizzas.

2. Ingredients

• Water: Acts as the medium for gluten development, which gives the dough its structure.
• Yeast: Ferments the dough, making it rise and imparting a distinctive flavor.
• Flour: The primary structure of the dough. A good quality all-purpose flour usually does the trick.
• Salt: Enhances flavor and regulates yeast fermentation.
• Olive oil: For a richer texture and added flavor.

3. The Foolproof Process

1. Activate the Yeast: Warm water (not hot) is key. Add a pinch of sugar, sprinkle the yeast, and let it sit for about 5 minutes till it’s frothy.
2. Mix & Knead: In a bowl, mix the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix until a dough starts to form. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. For an extra touch of richness, you can knead in olive oil at this stage.
3. Rest & Rise: Place the kneaded dough in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rest in a warm area. In about an hour, it should double in size.
4. Shape & Bake: Preheat your oven, shape the dough as desired, add toppings, and bake until golden and delicious!

4. Tips for the Perfect Pizza Dough

• Avoid Over-kneading: It can make the dough tough. Ten minutes of kneading is usually enough.
• Temperature Matters: Yeast is sensitive to temperature. Too hot, and it’ll die. Too cold, and it won’t activate. Lukewarm is perfect.
• Experiment with Flours: Once you’re comfortable, try mixing flours for varied textures and flavors.

Homemade pizza dough might seem intimidating at first, but with this simple and foolproof guide, you’re well on your way to pizza perfection. The joy of creating a delicious pizza from scratch, with your favorite toppings, is unparalleled. Give it a try, and you might never go back to store-bought again!

My Moms Pizza

---

• Author: Sweta Patel
• Total Time: 50
• Yield: 1 large pizza 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Full Screen

Ingredients

Scale

1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x 11x 12x 13x 14x 15x 16x 17x 18x 19x 20x

1x2x3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x 11x 12x 13x 14x 15x 16x 17x 18x 19x 20x

Pizza dough

•  4 & ½ tsp active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 tbsp oil
• ½ cup additional water for mixing

Toppings

• 2 cups sauce of choice I use Rao’s marinara
• 2 cups cheese I use Cabot’s sharp cheddar, yellow and white
• Any veggies or toppings of choice

---

Instructions

Pizza dough

1. In the bowl combine the warm water, sugar and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for five minutes.
2. Next add the oil, Italian seasoning, flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Mix everything together and slowly add the additional 1/4 cup of water and continue to combine the flour to make a dough.

    

   *Remember that the dough will still be sticky and will stick to your fingers when you try to pull it apart. You can mix this together in a stand mixer with a hook or mix it with a wooden spoon or even your hands the best tool!

3. Grease the bowl, turn the dough to coat it in oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and a let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 30mins. I put my bowl in a preheated oven at 200°F.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface and lightly punch the dough down, then turn it out onto the floured surface. Use floured hands to start pulling the dough up and around, gathering the ends together and forming a smooth ball on one side. Turn the ball over, so the top is smooth. If the dough is still a bit sticky when you go to roll it out, just sprinkle on a little more flour.
5. Take the ball of dough and flatten it with your hands or using a rolling pin on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further, continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter – 10 to 12 inches.
6. Bake the pizza dough for 7 mins in the oven, you want to cook the dough for a little bit before adding the toppings, this results into a fluffier pizza dough.
7. Add a thin layer of sauce, followed by cheese, toppings and top it off with more cheese. Place in oven at 380°F until cheese is nice and bubble and crust is golden brown. 12-15mins. Enjoy!

Notes

• Pre heat your oven to 200F and once the temperature is reached at 200 turn oven off.
• I love to add extra dollops of sauce on top right before it goes in the oven for a extra saucy pizza.
• You can replace the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour and the pizza comes out great as well!
• If your yeast doesn’t get foamy its gone bad,  if it gets foamy, this verifies your yeast is still alive.
• If you purchase the small packets of yeast from the grocery store, you will need 2 Packets active dry yeast which equals to 4 & ½ tsp.

• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 20
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: American, Italian

Keywords: calzones, homemade pizza, pizza, pizza dough, tostada pizza