This recipe was given to me by a guy that I once called a friend but now think he's a tool, lol. Despite our differences, he knows how to cook and this recipe that I slightly modified is fantastic!
This is a dough that I've used for years, comes out really nice and is a real easy dough to make. You'll notice that I measure everything in grams as it's more accurate than ounces. Almost everything I bake I measure in grams. The lone exception to this is cookies. Kind of hard to mess up a cookie, lol.
I use a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook attachment. The Kitchenaid mixer has been one of the best things I've ever owned, I use it for ALL of my baking. Doughs, breads, cookies. I even use it with the paddle attachment to shred cooked chicken for use on nachos or in enchiladas or burritos. Absoulte great tool to have in the kitchen. If you don't have one, you can knead this dough the old fashioned way and still get a nice dough.
Hand Tossed Pizza Dough500 grams King Arthur Bread Flour
500 grams Caputo 00 Flour
630 Grams warm water
20 grams salt
6 grams Active Dry Yeast
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Combine both flours by sifting into a large bowl. Take 600 grams of the flour and put into your kitchen aid mixing bowl.
Take the warm water and mix in the sugar and yeast and let the yeast activate, it will bubble. Takes about 30 minutes.
Dump yeasty water (sounds yummy no?) into kitchenaid bowl
Put on dough hook and run on speed 1-2 until it is mixed thoroughly
Let sit for 30 minutes to autolyse
Add remaining flour and salt to bowl
Turn mixer back on speed 2 and as dough starts to form a ball, slowly add the oil, more may be needed so that it wipes the edges clean and no longer sticks.
Once dough is made, use oiled hands to remove from mixer bowl and form dough into a ball by folding dough inward until a smooth ball is made then put into a greased bowl and cover. Let it sit for about an hour until it doubles in size, punch it down and then portion into smaller balls.
200-250 gram balls for personal pizzas or make into 4 equal balls for 4 thicker dough medium pizzas or 2 balls for 2 thicker dough large pizzas.
Dough can be frozen in airtight plastic containers. If you are using same day, oil a cookie sheet/baking tray and put dough balls on tray and cover with cooking spray coated plastic wrap. They will still proof in the fridge, you want to let them sit out at room temp to warm and soften. When they double again they are ready to slap out into a pizza on a floured surface.
The dough tastes best when you can make it up, make into desired dough ball sizes and let proof 1-2 days in fridge. The taste develops as it proofs. My personal preference is to make the dough, proof it overnight and then take out of the fridge 2 hours before I need it to let it warm to room temp and then slap it out into a crust while it's warm and pliable. This dough is an absolute joy to work with. It is tender on the inside and has a nice crumb and chew.
If you don't have Caputo 00 Flour, you can use 1000g of King Arthur Bread Flour only and still get a very nice dough. I ONLY use KA Flour period. It costs a little more but it's worth every penny. White Lilly, Martha White, store brands......they suck in comparison. Trust me on this.
It's a lot of work (not really, just takes time) but it's worth it!
Enjoy!!
