Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients:
1¾ cups (225 g) white bread flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fast-acting dry yeast
5 fl oz (150 ml) warm water
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Pizza toppings of your choice

Place the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the warm water and olive oil to form a dough.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 7–10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean damp dish towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Lightly oil a baking sheet with some olive oil. “Punch down” the risen dough to get rid of the air bubbles.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 2–3 minutes. Then, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12” (30 cm) circle.

Place the pizza base on the baking sheet, then add the toppings of your choice. Bake for 10–15 minutes on the top rack of the oven until the dough is crisp and the toppings have cooked.

Variation:
To give your pizza an herby zing, try adding a tablespoon of dried oregano in Step 1.