Pizza Dough 2

I haven't made pizza in awhile and I wanted to tweak the pizza dough recipe I typically use.  This dough came out well and was great for making a thinner crust too.  I was able to roll out half the dough to make a pizza the size of my large baking sheet.  I froze the other half of the pizza dough to use another time.  You can freeze any leftover dough in a freezer safe plastic bag.  Just defrost in the fridge the night before and the pizza dough will be ready by the time its dinner time.  I made a veggie pizza with this dough, and I will share that recipe tomorrow.

 

Pizza Dough 2

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)

½ teaspoon sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together the warm water and yeast.  Set aside for about 10 minutes, it will get foamy.  Stir in sugar, olive oil and salt.

In a stand mixer with dough attachment, add in flour and yeast mixture.  Mix on low to medium speed until a ball of dough forms, about 5 minutes.

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Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Punch down the dough with your hand.   

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour.   Halve dough and roll out with a floured rolling pin.

Makes 2 pizzas.

Simple Yeast Bread

Homemade bread can be simple to make!  I adapted this recipe from Elizabeth Yetter's super easy bread for beginners.  This simple yeast bread recipe has few ingredients and only needs about an hour and half proofing time and 45 minutes of baking time.  It also smelled so good while baking!  I think the smell was driving my dogs,  Buddy and Ellie, crazy!  They were waiting for me to slice it when it was ready.  I had a piece with some butter and it was delicious!

Simple Yeast Bread 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)

2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

½ cup milk (I used 2%, also best at room temperature.)

3 cups all-purpose flour

 

Directions

In a bowl, add warm water and stir in yeast to dissolve in the water.  Stir in salt, sugar, shortening, and milk to the yeast mixture.

 

Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.  (You could also mix yeast mixture in stand mixer with paddle attachment.)

 

Add in flour ½ cup at a time while using the dough hook.  Mix until dough comes together and comes off the sides of the mixing bowl.

Turn dough onto a floured surface.  Knead until the dough is soft and smooth, and no longer sticky to the touch.

 

Place dough in a greased bowl (I used olive oil but you can use butter too).  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

 

Punch down dough and turn onto a floured surface.  Knead dough.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease a bread pan.

Form dough into a loaf and place into pan.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

 

Score dough by cutting 3 slashes across the top.   Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Turn bread out onto a cooling rack.

 

Cool completely before slicing.

 

Note:  Freeze by slicing and placing in a freezer bag.  Take slices out and defrost as needed.

Ellie was watching me from the dining room while I was baking.  I am sure Buddy was sleeping on the couch instead :)