by Natasha Sheldon

Created on: September 15, 2008   Last Updated: November 25, 2010

Whether you like your pizza American style and thick or prefer the more traditional Italian thin crust, the base can make or break a pizza.

If the pizza is homemade, its even more vital.  No matter how good the toppings, a shop bought base just won’t be the same as a home baked version, made from fresh pizza dough.

Pizza dough making isn’t an arcane art restricted to the initiated. Nor is it time consuming. Its perfectly achievable even for the most inexperienced cook.  

Its possible for a novice to create a delicious and light dough that can be shaped to any thickness in no time at all. All you need is a recipe.

Try this quick, and easy, no nonsense, pizza dough recipe. It will help you get on with the business of making your pizza in no time at all.

Makes 450g/1 lb dough.

Ingredients:

400g/14oz strong plain flour-preferably bread making flour

25g/1 oz yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

250ml/8 fl oz warm water

1 teaspoon salt

 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the sugar and yeast.

Now add the warm water. Do not mix yet; instead cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for thirty minutes whilst the yeast activates.

You’ll know when this has happened because the yeast mixture will be frothy and bubbling.

Once this stage has been reached, add salt and oil to the well. Then draw the dry ingredients into the central well, with your hands or a fork.

Mix into a smooth dough. Them remove from the bowl and sprinkle lightly with flour before kneading until of an elastic consistency.

Your dough is now ready to use and is guaranteed to make the perfect basis for a delicious pizza.

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