Pizza Shop Style Fluffy and Crunchy Pizza Dough
The smell of pizza being freshly baked in a hot oven brings back memories of my childhood in the 90’s.
You guys know what i’m talking about? You walk into a pizza shop and that smell of sweet sauce and carbs just hits you right away. It’s quite literally the most intoxicating and nostalgic smell of my childhood. Man, the 90’s were good. Dunkaroos, roller skating, boy bands and best of all the pizza shop. When i grew up and started a family of my own, i realized that one of the things i missed the most was family Friday nights at the local pizza shop. I loved arguing over what pizza toppings and stuffing my face till i couldn’t move and most of all i really loved spending time with my family somewhere where all you heard were giggles for miles.
It’s a shame that pizza shops aren’t as big of a deal in this day and age. I think it has something to do with the overwhelming technology that has replaced the family time, but either way, I plan to keep these traditions alive in my house. I’ve always loved the idea of getting the family together for a DIY meal. Something that everyone has a personal touch to. It’s almost like that pizza shop experience but right at home.
For that exact reason i’ve been on a lifelong journey to create the best pizza dough recipe ever. One that’s versitile. It’s got to work for thin crust pizzas, it’s got to work for traditional, it’s got to be crunchy on the bottom and in the crust but still maintain a fluffy and chewy internal texture. After years and years of getting right but not right enough… i finally created the queen of all pizza dough recipes so without further-ado…. ladies and gentlemen.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Rest Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 1 large sized pizza or 2 medium sized pizzas
Ingredients
1. 2 tsp instant yeast
2. 1 tbsp granulated sugar
3. 1 cup warm water (or more)
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 1/2 tsp baking powder
6. 3 cups all purpose flour (384 grams) plus a few extra tbsp if dough is sticky
7. 1/2 cup plain yogurt
8. 1/4 cup olive oil
Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the warm water until the sugar and yeast have dissolved. cover with a paper towel and set aside in a warm location to allow the yeast to begin working. This should take no more than 5 minutes. Once you see bubbles and foam forming on the surface of the mixture, you’ll know the yeast has been activated and is ready to use.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Once combined, slowly pour the activated yeast mixture overtop. Mix until lightly combined and proceed to add the rest of the wet ingredients (olive oil, yogurt and the remaining 3/4 cup of warm water). Use your hands to mix and knead well and form a cohesive ball. I knead the dough gently, directly into the bowl so that i don’t need to make a large mess.
3. Once the dough has come together into a ball, oil the bottom of a bowl and place the dough ball in the bowl to rise for 2 hours. Cover the the top of the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm location. I like to put the bowl in my oven (turned off, of course).
4. Punch dough ball down once the dough has risen for at least 2 hours. gather the dough into a ball once again and keep in the same bowl.
5. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Prepare your toppings of choice while the dough rests for another 15-20 minutes and the oven preheats.
7. Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper and drizzle a tbsp of olive oil over the parchment paper in preparation for the dough.
8. Use your fingers to gently press out the dough ball into a flat pizza. The dough is soft enough that you will not need to roll out the dough. The gentle pressing with your fingers is enough!
9. Top the pizza with sauce and toppings of choice and place in the preheated oven.
10. Bake for 15-23 depending on the size of the pizzas you’ve decided to make! Check for doneness by pressing finger over the crust and checking the bottom of the pizza for a golden crust.
