How to Make a Round Pizza Dough by Hand

Make homemade pizza like a pro.

Making a round pizza from scratch means you'll have to make a yeast dough. The good news is, you won't need to do extensive kneading as you would if you were making a loaf of bread. Multiple rises are also not necessary, but you will want to allow the dough to rise once, so allow at least an hour before baking to prep the dough. Forget tossing your dough in the air to make it round, unless it's a skill you're determined to learn -- it's much harder than it looks, and you're likely to wind up with over-handled dough.

Things You'll Need

• 1 packet rapid-rise yeast
• 1-1/2 cups warm water
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Food processor
• Knife
• Bowls or cutting board
• Clean dishcloth
• Pizza stone and peel or round pizza pan
• Cornmeal
• Rolling pin

Instructions

1. Add the yeast to the warm water and let it dissolve.

2. Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade attachment or dough attachment. Pulse the flour and salt a few times to combine.

3. Turn on the food processor and add the yeast water in a steady stream until a soft ball is formed. Add the oil and process for a few seconds to incorporate it into the dough.

4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat down. Fold it over a couple of times to knead it for about a minute until it's no longer sticky. Cut the dough into 2 pieces.

5. Transfer the dough to two bowls or a clean cutting board. Cover the dough with a towel and allow it to rise for 45 minutes to an hour.

6. Punch the dough down. Lift it and stretch it gently to form a flat round shape about half the size of your stone or pan. If you're using a pan, sprinkle it with cornmeal and place the dough in the center. Use your fingers to push the dough to the edges of the pan. For a pizza stone, roll the dough with a rolling pin on the floured pizza peel to the desired size and thickness.

7. The dough is now ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• Prick the surface of the dough all over with a fork to prevent it from puffing up while baking before adding the toppings.

• If you plan to use the dough right away, preheat your oven and the pizza stone, if using, about 15 minutes before the end of the second rise time.

• You can save your dough to bake another day by wrapping it in plastic wrap before rising and storing it in the freezer, or place it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator to rise slowly overnight if you want to make the pizza the next day.

References

• Fine Cooking; Easy Pizza Dough; Evan Kleiman
• Epicurious; Pizza Dough; "Bon Appetit"; Giada DeLaurentiis; March 2007