*Original recipe courtesy of Instructions and Recipes for your Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, 9709785 rev.D
1 package active dry yeast
(2 ¼ teaspoons) room temperature
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (105° F to 115° F)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 ½ to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let rest 5-10 minutes to allow the yeast bloom. [Bloomed yeast looks frothy.] Add salt, olive oil and 2 ½ cups flour. Mix with dough hook on speed 2 about a minute.
Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover with lightweight dish towel. Let rise in warm place free from draft about an hour or until doubled in bulk. (I set the oven on the lowest setting a few minutes to warm up, then turn off & put dough in.) Check after 45 minutes if using rapid rising yeast.
Punch dough down.
Brush large pizza pan with shortening. Press dough across bottom of pan, forming a collar around edge to hold toppings. [Dough can be divided evenly between two smaller pans. Freeze one pan after prebaking for a quick pizza at another time.]
Prebake crust for 3 minutes. Add toppings as desired. Bake at 450° for 15 to 20 minutes. (Check after 12 minutes.)
Granny’s Changes
For stuffed crust, cut cheese sticks in half and place around perimeter, covering with the excess dough around the edges.
Use leftover spaghetti sauce in place of tomato sauce.
Cut ham lunchmeat in half and use as a topping, too.
Italian Flavored Crust
Add with first flour addition,
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
Okay. I’ve tried everything to get the Amazon links to line up. Arrgg. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, so you have to scroll down to see them.
