How to Prepare Pizza Dough

Pizza dough can come in many varieties, each of which has a different taste and alters the finished product. After choosing your recipe, preparing the pizza dough itself is certainly the most delicate and tricky part of pizza making. Set aside adequate time and follow all directions in order to ensure that it turns out right the first time.

Things You'll Need

• All recipe ingredients
• Thermometer
• Glass bowl
• Towel

Instructions

1. Determine whether your recipe's yield fits the number of servings you need. If not, adjust all the ingredient portions accordingly (e.g., double, triple, half the recipe). Decide whether to mix the dough by hand, in a mixer, in a food-processor or in a bread machine.

2. Dissolve the specified amount of yeast in water heated to between 105 and 110 degrees. Anything outside of this range spoils the yeast and causes the dough to not rise. This is the most important step. Set the yeast and water mixture aside.

3. Combine all other ingredients according to the recipe and in the order the recipe states. Combining ingredients out of order may cause the recipe to fail.

4. Place the dough in a glass bowl when finished mixing. Pour olive oil over the ball of dough, cover it with a towel and set it aside to let it rise. When the dough has risen, punch it down and let it rise again.

5. Divide the dough to cook, refrigerate or freeze when it has finished rising according to time specifications on the recipe.