Pizza base – basic recipe topcook.tomathouse.com
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 packets of 7g active dry yeast (about 4.5 tsp total)
- 1/3 cup olive oil + extra for greasing
- 8 cups premium flour + extra for working with the dough
- Toppings such as pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and fresh basil
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, combine 2 2/3 cups dark water (40°C) with sugar and sprinkle with yeast. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.
- In a very large bowl, combine the flour with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes, dusting with additional flour as needed. Form the dough into 1 large ball, then cut it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each portion of dough into a smooth ball.
- Grease 4 medium bowls with olive oil, place a ball of dough in each, and turn to coat with oil. Cover the bowls tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the dough doubles in size, about 1.5 hours.
- Wrap the balls individually in cling film and freeze. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month..
Defrosting
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature on the counter before rolling out the dough.Assembly and baking
One hour before baking, place a pizza stone or large inverted baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C).
Place 1 ball of dough on a large sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, then stretch it into a circle 30-35 cm in diameter. Place the parchment paper with the dough on a pizza peel or a second inverted baking sheet.
Decorate with desired toppings, then transfer the pizza (on the parchment) to a hot stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 10-14 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 minutes and slice.
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