Classic Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon semolina or cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-3 cups bread flour
• olive oil (for pizza pans)

Directions

1. 1

   Grease three 9 inch pizza pans with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

2. 2

   For the dough, in the bowl of an electric mixer, hand whisk the water and yeast and let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, salt, oil semolina, all-purpose flour and 2 cups of bread flour and mix to make a soft mass. Knead with the dough hook on the slowest speed of the mixer, dusting in additional flour as required to form a soft, elastic dough, about 5 to 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Insert bowl into a large plastic bag and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

3. 3

   Gently deflate the dough, reinsert into plastic bag, and allow to rest an additional 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Gently deflate the dough. Press or roll out dough to fit prepared pizza pans.

5. 5

   If dough resists or otherwise retracts, let it rest for a few minutes, then gently coax it to fit pan. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top of dough. Spread on tomato sauce and topping of your choice

6. 6

   Preheat oven to 425°F Bake 15 minutes, and then reduce heat to 400°F Bake another 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly brown.