Okay, I've been making pizza at home for a long time. I've only recently discovered the perfect homemade dough, which I will share with you in this instructable (it also happens to be my first instructable ever). Fair warning: this is New York or New Haven style thin crust pizza, not thick-crust (I'm not hating, just saying). Since I live near New Haven, CT in the US, most homemade pizza doesn't come close to what I can get in my backyard, but this is darn close!
UPDATE (03/28/2010): Thanks to all who commented for some nice ideas!
UPDATE (03/28/2010): Thanks to all who commented for some nice ideas!
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Signing UpStep 1: Prepare
I used to buy raw dough in bags that my supermarket sold in the deli section. Unfortunately, they stopped carrying the brand that I liked, and the replacement was no good. So I tried to find a substitute that at least came close to what you can find at a good pizza place: a chewy crust with tangy flavor. What I didn't want was fluffy "white bread" pizza crust, or a tough, bland crust. Those seemed my only option until recently. Be warned: for the best flavor and texture, this dough should be made at least a day before you use it, and making it a week ahead is even better!
If you don't want to make dough at home, see if your grocery sells fresh dough (usually in bags, usually near the deli). It may not be easy to find a good brand, even if it's made in-store or locally. I've never tried the frozen bread dough, nor the stuff that comes in a tube. Call me old-fashioned, but good pizza does not start in a tube! If you're at a loss, try your local pizza shop. A dough ball will probably cost only a couple of dollars.
Here's a general rundown of what you need:
1. Dough (a.k.a.: flour, water, yeast, and salt) Also see step 2
2. A pizza pan, or baking stone and pizza peel (if you're using a peel, you need fine corn meal or dried bread crumbs), plus an oven to put it in.
3. Toppings: crushed tomatoes, cheese, veggies, meats, etc.
If you don't want to make dough at home, see if your grocery sells fresh dough (usually in bags, usually near the deli). It may not be easy to find a good brand, even if it's made in-store or locally. I've never tried the frozen bread dough, nor the stuff that comes in a tube. Call me old-fashioned, but good pizza does not start in a tube! If you're at a loss, try your local pizza shop. A dough ball will probably cost only a couple of dollars.
Here's a general rundown of what you need:
1. Dough (a.k.a.: flour, water, yeast, and salt) Also see step 2
2. A pizza pan, or baking stone and pizza peel (if you're using a peel, you need fine corn meal or dried bread crumbs), plus an oven to put it in.
3. Toppings: crushed tomatoes, cheese, veggies, meats, etc.
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Many Thanks for posting this!
@picklet: Actually, I do sometimes leave a smidge in the bottom of the bowl and put together a new batch. The end product is somewhat more... fragrant (in a good way), and the texture is a bit different (also in a good way).
Thanks for the comments.
Have you ever tried using a sourdough starter (or even a one-off sponge) to get a good ferment in a shorter time?
Nice recipe - thanks for posting!