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My Very Favorite Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

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The Well-topped Thin Crust PizzaPizza.  You know you want some!  This one word can set mouths watering and stomachs growling.

It has been estimated that the average American will consume more than 6,000 slices of pizza in their lifetime – or about 46 slices per year (that’s about 23 pounds of pizza)

Since it it National Pizza Week (National Pizza Month is October – yeah – a whole month to celebrate) I am sharing my favorite thin-crust dough recipe.  This is a fabulous crust – the base is crisp and the inside stays moist. . . . a win-win!

For those of you who keep sourdough starter as a member of your family – I have included a link for my sourdough version of this crust.  All I am going to say is Mmmmmmm.

Mangia!

Kathy

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My Favorite Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

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My Favorite Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

This dough is quick, easy, and delicious. The crust is crisp on the bottom and soft inside. A thin-crust lover’s dream!
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Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup (6 ounces) warm water
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 500 degrees – or as hot as it will go – allowing a good 30 minutes to pre-heat.

To Mix by Hand

  • Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Add the flour and salt.
  • Stir until you can no longer incorporate any more flour. (The dough will be a bit shaggy.)
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and knead to incorporate the remaining flour.
  • Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). The dough should be soft (not stiff), moist, and slightly sticky. If it sticks to your hands or the work surface, add flour – one tablespoon at a time – just until it no longer sticks and is smooth.
  • At this point, you can let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk – (about an hour), place in an oiled zip top bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days – or, let the dough rest, covered, until you are ready to assemble the pizzas.
  • To make the pizzas, divide the dough in half.
  • Working one piece at a time, form the dough - using your hands – into a disk.
  • Place the dough onto a floured surface.
  • Working from the center of the dough and using your hands, gently stretch and press the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick, dusting with flour as needed.
  • Transfer the dough to the pan or peel by lifting gently or folding the dough in quarters and place on a pizza pan (or pizza peel if you will be cooking on a stone) Make sure that the pan or peel has been generously dusted with cornmeal.
  • Unfold the crust and top as desired.
  • Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes.
  • Turn/rotate and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is bubbly and browned to your liking.

To Mix With a Stand Mixer, Using a Dough Hook

  • If you are using a stand mixer with a dough hook, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of the mixer.
  • Mix on low speed to combine. When the ingredients are incorporated, turn to medium speed and let the dough hook knead the dough for 4-5 minutes.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead a few times to ensure texture and follow the instructions above.

Notes

Because of the thinness of the crust, let the cooked pizza rest 4-5 minutes before slicing and eating. ..
This dough can be rolled , but as with all pizza crust, using your hands to shape the dough will give more texture and yield a more artisan type crust.

My Favorite Pizza Crust

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My Favorite Pizza Crust

For the thick-crust pizza lover, this recipe can't be beat!
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup warm water 105-110 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees,
  • Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved.
  • Add the olive oil and the salt.
  • Stir in the flour until well blended.
  • Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
  • Roll, toss, or pat dough into pan or on to a pizza stone using fingers dipped in olive oil.
  • If desired sprinkle basil, thyme or other seasonings on crust.
  • Top with your favorite pizza toppings. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and browned.

If you are using a stand mixer with a dough hook

  • Place the water, sugar, yeast, oil and salt into the bowl of the mixer. Pulse to combine.
  • Add the flour to the bowl and, using the dough hook, mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
  • Knead, using the dough hook for just a minute or two.
  • Follow the instructions above.

Notes

This dough makes great bread sticks. Roll out dough and cut into strips. Let rise until double in bulk.
Bake at 425 until golden brown - about 10 -12 minutes.
Brush with melted butter and minced garlic, followed by a sprinkling of kosher salt as you take them out of the oven.
I often use Tuscan Herb olive oil for the dough.
I usually double this recipe – yielding about 3 lbs of dough. I divide this, by weight, into 3 equal amounts….yielding 3- 13” pizzas. I refrigerate the dough in oiled ziplock bags. It has been good for a week - although it usually disappears before then!

Sourdough Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

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Sourdough Thin-Crust Pizza Dough

Makes enough for two 10-inch pizzas
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup sourdough starter fed or un-fed
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 500 degrees – or as hot as it will go – allowing a good 30 minutes to pre-heat.

To Mix by Hand

  • Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Add the flour and salt.
  • If you are mixing by hand, stir until you can no longer incorporate any more flour. (The dough will be a bit shaggy.)
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured board and knead to incorporate the remaining flour.
  • Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). The dough should be soft (not stiff), moist, and slightly sticky. If it sticks to your hands or the work surface, add flour – one tablespoon at a time – just until it no longer sticks and is smooth.
  • At this point, you can let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk – (about an hour), place in an oiled zip top bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days – or, let the dough rest, covered, until you are ready to assemble the pizzas.
  • To make the pizzas, divide the dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, form the dough - using your hands – into a disk.
  • Place the dough onto a floured surface. Working from the center of the dough and using your hands, gently stretch and press the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick, dusting with flour as needed.
  • Fold the dough in quarters and place on a pizza pan (or pizza peel if you will be cooking on a stone) - that has been generously dusted with cornmeal.
  • Unfold the crust and top as desired.
  • Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes. Turn/rotate and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is bubbly and browned to your liking.

Using a Stand Mixer

  • If you are using a stand mixer with a dough hook, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of the mixer. Mix on low speed to combine. When the ingredients are incorporated, turn to medium speed and let the dough hook knead the dough for 4-5 minutes.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead a few times to ensure texture and follow the instructions above.

Notes

Because of the thinness of the crust, let the cooked pizza rest 4-5 minutes before slicing and eating. ..
This dough can be rolled , but as with all pizza crust, using your hands to shape the dough will give more texture and yield a more artisan type crust.

A perfect way to start the New Year

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blueberry buckle muffins 3If there’s no better way to start the day than with a great breakfast – then  it should hold true that there could be no better way to start the new year than with the same.  These muffins have been a family favorite for years.  Buttery, moist, the perfect crumb – loaded with blueberries and a kiss of lemon.  Top them off with a sweet, buttery crumble – worth getting out of bed for!                                                      Be sure not to over-mix the batter – mixing by hand, just until combined, will yield that perfect, crumbly goodness of a great muffin.

Here’s to a great year – filled with great breakfasts!

Kathy

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Here’s what’s Happening on the Homestead

Spring.  Just the word congers up images of blossoms and bunnies, eggs and chicks. . . . and catalogs filled with tableware, linens and all the fresh spring color imaginable. . . . so when my spring edition of the Pier1 catalog arrived – I was immediately drawn to devour every page.  The dinnerware, table settings, linens were, in typical Pier1 form, a wonderful feast for the eyes. pier1-catalog-page

But, there was one thing that especially drew my attention. . .their adorable folded napkins – especially the little bunnies in the upper right corner of the page. The catalog directed readers to log on to their website for instructions  – which I immediately did.

Upon arriving at the page, I  searched for the Bunny Fold pier-one-bunny-ears-directionsand found this.   I grabbed some cloth napkins (which happened to be from Pier1) and, following their directions, began folding.  It only took me to the 4th step to figure out that there was a real problem with the directions – they were rolling from the wrong side of the napkin. . . and by the final step – it was unmistakable.

wrong-way-bunny-napkinI had created this.  I took an unfolded napkin and the directions to my husband – who, as a builder, reads instructions for a living  . . . and his response was immediate – these are not right.  They have rolled from the long side and not the point – and used directions for a granny knot.  It needs to be an ‘overhand’ knot.  (50 plus years of scouting – he should know his knots!)

After making a few simple changes – rolling from the point and using an overhand knot – the finished product looked like the one in the Pier1 picture.  Success!    folded-bunny-napkin-perfection

 And so, as much as I LOVE Pier1, no one is infallible.  I have done my own set of instructions, including pictorials, for your use should you be wanting to try these little treasures.  Such a simple way to dress up a spring  or Easter table.

Just Click Here to go to the instructions.  Happy Spring!

Enjoy,

Kathy

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Established in 1989, the Homestead at Bridle Creek has risen from acres of oaks and scrub brush to a  [Continue Reading …]

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