Homemade Pizza Dough

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

RISE Time: 1 HOUR 30 minutes

SERVINGS: 2 DOUGH BALLS

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup warm water (105°F - 110°F)

1 packet (¼ oz) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

3 ½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

3 tablespoon olive oil (plus 2 teaspoons extra to oil bowls)

Instructions:

• In a small mixing bowl dissolve the sugar in warm water (105°F - 110°F), then whisk in the yeast. Yeast is active when you see it start to bubble on top. If it doesn't bubble on top, the yeast packet is no longer active. Start water, sugar, and yeast mixture over with a new yeast packet.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk the salt into 3 ½ cups of flour. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the water, sugar, yeast mixture and oil into the flour. Mix with a wood spoon until combined into a soft dough ball. (Add a little extra flour at a time if the dough is too wet, or add a little extra water at a time if the dough is too dry).
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour to the surface as needed, this could take approximately 5-10 minutes. Cut dough in half and form into two smooth balls of dough.
• Lightly oil two large mixing bowls with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil each, and place each dough ball into a bowl. Top dough with a little more olive oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a tea towel, set aside in a warm area and let dough rise and double in size for about 1 ½ hours.
• Transfer risen dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out and top with desired toppings, or cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about one month.