Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 F - 115 F)
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• extra flour
• extra olive oil

Directions

1. 1

   Pour the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

2. 2

   Add the yeast and gently stir the mixture until the yeast is dissolved.

3. 3

   Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to become "active.".

4. 4

   The mixture will become foamy at the surface and appear cloudy, and, it will begin to release its familiar, "yeasty" aroma.

5. 5

   Add the salt and olive oil and stir again to combine the ingredients.

6. 6

   Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture and whisk in until dissolved.

7. 7

   Add the second cup of flour and whisk it in until the mixture is smooth.

8. 8

   Add the 3rd cup of flour and combine evenly. The dough mixture should now be fairly thick.

9. 9

   Add the last cup and flour and, with your hands, begin to combine the dough until all of the dry flour has moistened into a mass.

10. 10

    You may need to add a dusting of flour from time to time to reduce the stickiness of the dough as you work it with your hands. Be patient, folding the dough mixture in on itself, over and over again.

11. 11

    When the flour has absorbed all of the moisture and congealed into a firm mass, remove it from the bowl to a floured tabletop to knead it.

12. 12

    Press the dough out with the balls of both of your hands. Then, fold the mass in half and "push it into itself." Fold it in half again and push it into itself, again and again for perhaps 10 to 12 minutes or so, or about 200 cycles. It is very important that the dough is very well kneaded. Over knead it rather than under knead it or you will be disappointed that it will not rise to its full potential when baked.

13. 13

    The dough ball will eventually loose its stickiness, and become pliable and elastic.

14. 14

    Coat the dough ball with a thin layer of olive oil, and place it in the bottom of a large mixing bowl which has also been coated on the inside with olive oil. Stretch a piece of kitchen film over the top of the bowl and set it in a warm place such an as un-lit oven, (ambient temperature of 70° F to 80° F). Allow the dough to rise, undisturbed, for 60 to 75 minutes. The dough will have grown to at least twice its original size.

15. 15

    Take the raised dough mass out of the bowl and cut it in half with a knife.

16. 16

    Take the raw dough portions and separately pat them down flat on a cutting board to press out and release the air that has developed inside them. Hand-mold each portion into a ball, smoothing the outer surface and tucking each portion into itself from underneath.