Comments on: The best home made pizza dough recipe

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:33:46 +0000

I think 4-5 hours would be fine – I might recommend just kneading it for a minute longer if you don’t have time to leave it in the fridge for quite as long. Alternatively, check out my quick dough recipe here: http://www.liveforpizza.com/2009/06/quick-pizza-dough-recipe/

By: Lyssa M

Lyssa M — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:01:28 +0000

Hi, I was wondering how important is the 6-8 hour thing? What happens if you are to leave in for maybe 4-5 hours? Will that ruin it entirely?

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:29:13 +0000

Hi Katie, what problems are you having? Although I haven’t ever had to bake a pizza at high altitude, Harold McGee in ‘On Food & Cooking’ says in general recipes should be adjusted by:
-Using a little more moisture
-reducing fat & sugar
- Cooking hot
Since a good pizza dough is already quite moist, has no fat or sugar and is cooked as hot as possible it should usually perform pretty well based on that!

By: Katie G

Katie G — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:34:40 +0000

Any recommendations for high altitude baking of pizza dough?

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:37:58 +0000

Hi Brian,
I think some of the confusion comes from the fact that there are 3 different commercially available types of yeast. Compressed yeast is fresh, moist yeast that comes in a block. According to Paula Figoni in How Baking Works this should be dissolved in warm water before use.
Active dry yeast is not as common but should also be dissolved in warm water before use.
Instant yeast (which I use for all my baking except for sourdough) is effective when added directly to the dough without being mixed with water first and should be used this way for best effect.
The common explanation you see offered when someone advises ‘proofing’ the yeast by mixing with water and sugar before use is that if it starts bubbling, you know it is active. I think as long as you buy instant yeast that has been stored properly, and don’t use it far beyond its use-by date, you have no reason to mix with water before use.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:52:17 +0000

Hi, I have been making home made Pizza for about a year now, I am always looking for different dough recipe’s. can you answer this question please.
Why do some people mix the yeast to the warm water first, & wait for it to act?
Why do some people mix the dry yeast to the flour & other dry ingred. & then add the water?
Thanks.
Brian from Dublin Ireland.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:23:27 +0000

I don’t like to dock my base at all – let it puff and bubble!

By: Mariah

Mariah — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:46:29 +0000

For a stretchy dough that won’t tare easy I would suggest using 00 flour.
We use Antimo Caputo. Use a dough docker in the area where you will add your toppings but not the crust area.
It will give you a wonderful thin crust in the topping area and the crust area will puff quite nicely.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:05:34 +0000

I would avoid the pastry flour if possible, as when we make pizza bases we want something that can be stretched into shape without tearing. Pastry flour is lower in gluten than other flours, so may not stretch as well. However whole wheat flour will make a lovely pizza dough, with a heavier texture and flavour. You will need to use more water than with white flour though, play it by ear and add slowly until it feels right.

You can also use a blend of whole wheat and white flour, still healthier than white flour on its own but gives you a little more lightness and workability in the dough.

Consider the toppings you use too, I find that stronger flavours can work well with whole wheat bases.

By: Pizza Newbie

Pizza Newbie — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:45:03 +0000

Hi!

Do you think it’s possible to use Whole Wheat pastry flour in this recipe? Or Whole wheat flour?

Thanks!