The Basics of Pizza Dough

Freeze extra dough so you can more easily make a pie anytime

Photo: Janet Moore/EyeEm/Getty Images

Pizza dough is not only incredibly easy to make but freezes well, too. I keep a few balls of it tucked away at all times so that a homemade pie is always at my fingertips. I make pizza dough in the food processor. To do it by hand, stir in a bowl with a heavy wooden spoon until the dough becomes too heavy to stir, then switch to your hands. To make the dough in a stand mixer, start with the paddle attachment and, when the dough becomes heavy, replace the paddle with the dough hook. All of these methods involve minimal kneading, but you can look to the variations for an absolutely no-knead dough.

Pizza Dough

Makes: Enough for 1 large or 2+ small pies
Time: 1 hour or more

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. In a food processor or a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Gradually add 1 cup water and the oil, pouring it through the feed tube with the machine…