Recipe: Basic Pizza Dough from The Pizza Book

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH FROM THE PIZZA BOOK

1 cup warm (110-115 degrees) tap water
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 tsp. salt

MAKE THE DOUGH:
Pour water into medium mixing bowl and sprinkle in yeast. Stir gently with fork until yeast has dissolved and liquid turns light beige.

Add 1 cup flour and salt. Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon. Add second cup flour and mix well. After second cup flour has been mixed in, dough should start coming away from sides of bowl and begin to form a soft, sticky mass.

Measure out the third cup of flour. Sprinkle some over work surface and generously flour hands. Remove all dough from bowl and begin to work the mass by kneading in the additional flour, a bit at a time.

Knead dough. Work quickly and don't be delicate. Slap and push dough around to develop its gluten and to facilitate its rolling out. When dough no longer feels sticky, it is done. If it sticks, knead it a bit more. Process should take 5-10 minutes.

FIRST RISE:*
Lightly oil 2-quart bowl with vegetable oil. Roll ball of dough around in bowl to coat. Tightly seal bowl with plastic wrap (dough will rise faster).

SHAPE THE PIZZA CRUST OR RISE AGAIN:
Once dough has doubled, punch it down by pushing your fist into it. Remove dough from bowl and knead it about 1 minute. Dough now is ready to be patted or rolled into pizza or to undergo additional rising.

SECOND RISE:
To raise dough a second time (produces a more refined, even crumb in pizza and lighter-textured foccacia), add a bit more oil to bowl and repeat procedure indicated for first rising. Dough now is ready for shaping.

PAN RISING (FOR THICKER CRUST):
For a slightly thicker crust, let dough rise again in pan 10-20 minutes before baking.

*REFRIGERATED RISING:
To have pizza the next day or evening, prepare dough through point of covering oiled dough with plastic wrap (before rising) and refrigerate overnight. It should double by morning; punch it down, knead 1 minute and return to bowl. Let rise again until ready to use, removing from refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to shape it.

Makes dough for 1 (12-inch) or 2 (6-inch) pizzas, 4 servings.

Adapted from source: The Pizza Book: Everything There Is To Know About the World's Greatest Pie by Evelyne Slomon