Quick Homemade Pizza Dough

You may think that making pizza is not worth the trouble compared to ordering one but trust me you are wrong! I'll give you 4 reasons why you should give it a try.

(1) First of all, making your own pizza will save you a lot of money. The ingredients needed for this homemade dough will literally only cost you a couple of dollars. And fresh toppings won't be that much more. You will need to buy a pizza pan (I recommend a perforated one which allows air to circulate and helps achieve crispy crust perfection) but it will pay off just after its first use!

(2) Making your own pizza is healthful since you control all the ingredients. Cut back on the full-fat cheese and meat, and pile on the fresh veggies instead!

(3) Making your own pizza won't take any longer – actually, it might be even faster – than calling the pizza place and waiting for the delivery man.

(4) Last but not least, making your own pizza is fun. Do it with your kids! I guarantee they will love playing “chef”. If you do not own a stand mixer, you can still make this dough: simply knead by hand for about 15 minutes.

This recipe yields enough dough to make two large pizzas. Use half the dough now, and freeze the other half for later: spread a little olive oil in a zip-top bag, put the dough in, seal and put in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you need it, just thaw overnight in the fridge. You can even make this dough a day or two in advance, place in a zip-top bag coated with olive oil and chill in the fridge. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

As for toppings, use whatever you like or have on hand. Our favorites (not all at once!) are marinara sauce, mozzarella, feta, black olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, red onions, artichoke hearts, spinach, zucchini, sundried tomatoes, pesto and prosciutto. Yummy!

Yields enough dough for 2 large pizzas

• 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) = 7 g (un sachet) de levure de boulanger deshydratée
• 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°) = 235 ml d'eau chaude (entre 38° et 43°)
• 1 1/4 cups cold water = 300 ml d'eau froide
• 2 tablespoons olive oil = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile d'olive
• 1 teaspoon sugar = 1 cuillère à café de sucre
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour = environ 725g de farine à pain

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Combine 1 1/4 cups cold water, oil, sugar, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Lightly spoon about 5 1/4 cups bread flour (= 675 g) into dry measuring cups. Combine flour, yeast mixture, and cold water mixture in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low 8 minutes or until dough begins to form. Let rest 2 minutes; mix on low 6 minutes or until dough is smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 2 minutes); add enough of the remaining flour (about 1/4 cup = 25 à 50 g), 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Divide dough into two portions. Use now or place in zip-top bag(s) coated with olive oil and chill in the fridge or freeze.

When ready to bake: preheat oven to 450F/230C.

Place one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into large circle. Coat a 12 to 14 inch perforated pizza pan with olive oil spray. Transfer dough to pan. Using your fingers, shape a rim if you like. Add tomato sauce, cheese and favorite toppings. Bake at 450° for about 14 minutes until cheese has melted and crust has browned. Let stand a few minutes. Slice. Enjoy!

This is our pizza before putting it into the oven...

When it came out, we just had to eat it right away!