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pizza dough

Pizza dough reminiscent of the original Pizza Hut pizza of the 80's. Makes dough for 4 small pan-style or NY-style pizzas.

This recipe takes 2 days to make: 24 hrs for the starter then approx 3 hrs to prep of the dough. The starter can be replaced with sourdough starter of the same amount. The final dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before use. The flavor profile will improve with the added time in the fridge.

Ingredients

Starter

dough (minus starter)

Hardware

Instructions

Starter assembly

  1. In medium bowl, combine .75 gr (1/4 tsp) yeast, 100 gr flour, and 100 gr water until yeast is fully dissolved and everything is homogenous.
  2. Seal loosely and proof at room temperature for 8 hrs.
  3. Move to fridge for at least 16 more hours. You can delay using it by another day as long as air cannot get to the mix to dehydrate it.

Dough assembly

  1. Measure out 250 gr water into large bowl/ proofing vessel. Keep remaining 50 gr on hand.
  2. Mix starter and 5 gr (1 tsp) instant yeast into water.
  3. In a separate bowl, measure out flour and add in 5.5 gr (2 tsp) salt. Mix lightly so the salt isn’t clumped up in any one area.
  4. Pour dry ingredients into the wet then incorporate. If using a stand mixer, do this step by hand with a wooden spoon or other sturdy utensil.
  5. If the dough has problems incorporating all the flour, add small amounts of the remaining water. The dough should be shaggy but fairly dense at this point.
  6. Knead until smooth.
    • If using a stand mixer, mix on low for 6-10 minutes
    • If kneading by hand, do so for 30 second increments, then allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes then repeat. Do this 2-3 times or until dough becomes much smoother.
  7. Allow to rise in a loosely sealed container for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until dough has more than doubled in size.
  8. Divide evenly into 4 portions. Conversely, dough can be stored in a loosely sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 more days.

Cooking

  1. Preheat oven to 450-500 degrees F.
  2. Stretch out the dough balls into a disc, keeping the dough and working surface lightly floured. If the dough fights the shaping process - springs back to previous size or starts to rip anywhere - allow it to rest under a tea towel for 10 minutes then try again. You may have to do this more than once. I will often do my shaping in 3 steps to get the desired size dough discs.
  3. Place the disc onto a sheet pan then dress the pizza with desired toppings. 2
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the desired level of doneness is achieved. 3

Footnotes

  1. Volume measurements included on salt and yeast in case you do not have a precision scale. Jeweler’s scales (.1 gr accuracy) sufficient for bakers’ needs can be found for $15-$30. They are worth it if you do lots of baking. ↩

  2. Another way to cook pizzas is the use of a cast iron pan. I will preheat the pan in the oven while the oven is warming up. 15-20 minutes after the oven has come up to temperature, the pan will be at the proper temperature. I take the pan out and place on a burner or trivet. I then pour in 2 tbsp olive oil, making sure to distribute it evenly across the bottom and halfway up the sides. Acting quickly, I then place the dough disc, making any slight adjustments needed. Finally top the pizza as desired then cook for 15-20 minutes or until desired doneness. ↩

  3. If cooking 2 or more pizzas, I adopt an assembly line approach. I top the first pizza then place on the bottom rack of the oven. After 5 minutes has elapsed, I will dress the second pizza which takes a couple of minutes. I will then move the pizza already in the oven to the top rack, then put in the fresh pizza on the bottom. I then repeat as needed. This may add a couple minutes cooking time to each pizza since they’re sharing the oven but it is certainly faster than doing them individually. ↩