Making Your Own Pizza Dough – The Frugal Way
The hardest part of making your own homemade pizza is making the crust. Planning ahead does play a huge part in making the perfect dough. See this recipe and make your own Homemade Pizza Dough
Making Your Own Pizza Dough – The Frugal Way
The hardest part of making your own homemade pizza is making the crust. Planning ahead does play a huge part in making the perfect dough. One of my favorite homemade pizza dough recipes requires the dough to rise for an hour. But I have to admit, I am sometimes in a hurry to make dinner and can’t wait an hour for the dough to rise
One way to make your own shortcut is to double your pizza dough recipe. Once your ready to top your pizza dough, take the extra, divide and freeze. This way you will have extra dough available and ready. The day you plan to use the dough, transfer from the freezer to the fridge in the morning to thaw for dinner in the evening. Or use my super quick method (you can tell I do this often): to unfreeze I place in a warm bath of water and within 20-25 minutes your ready to start.
Here is a very simple pizza dough recipe that our family loves.
Home-Made Pizza Dough Recipe
- 1 Package active yeast (2 tsp)
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- 2 Cups Bread Flour (I always get away with All-Purpose)
- 2 TBSP Olive Oil
- 1 TSP Salt
- 2 TSP Sugar
- • In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water, let stand until creamy (10 minutes)
- • In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, olive oil, salt & sugar.
- • Combine wet mixture with dry. Mix with a dough hook until dough becomes stiff.
- • Mold dough into ball, place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
- • Once dough has doubled in size your ready to make your pizza
Tips to making a better pizza
- Use a Pizza Stone or Pizza Screen Pan. (I own both and prefer the screen, we like a crispy pizza) – if using a pizza stone pre-heat stone as well prior to placing dough on it to cook.
How to transfer your already top pizza to a pre-heat stone. I like the parchment paper method. Roll your dough on a floured piece of parchment paper. Make your pizza. Once topped, slide your pizza using the parchment paper onto the pre-heated stone and bake. Leave the paper intact.
- Pre-Heat your oven to 450 degree. (I have heard of others go even higher).
- Always place your pan in the center of the oven rack.
- Let your pizza rest a few minutes after baking and before cutting. It makes cutting the pizza a lot easier.
I love saving money and making a better pizza at home. Kenji from Serious Eats has some great recipes as well. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/01/foolproof-pan-pizza-recipe.html – same recipe will work for thinner crust- just use a cookie sheet in place of iron skillet. Lots of advice http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/04/essential-tips-for-better-pizza-how-to-make-pizza-at-home.html
Can you use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?
HI Julie, Yes you can! The difference will be in the taste. I am sure you probably won’t notice much. But in a pinch absolutely you can use vegetable oil.
What about if i do not have a mixer and i hand mix !??!?!? Am i crazy? How long do i mix by hand?
You can certainly mix by hand. Just a little easier to use a hand mixer. I would double the time it takes the electric mixer to do it.