We have many recipes for pizza dough, but this is definitely our favorite of the moment. This recipe produces a crisp yet chewy dough that is perfect for just about any topping. We love making it in conjunction with a hot pizza stone for even better results.

• 1 (14 oz.) package of active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp.)
• 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cups warm water, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

Sir together yeast, 1 Tbsp flour and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1-1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (dough will be slightly wet.)

Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put into a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft free place at warm room temperature until doubles, about 1-1/4 hours.

At least 30 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

To shape dough: Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet (my note: I form pizza dough on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.) Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary. Top pizza with your favorite toppings.

Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13-16 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board and cool 5 minutes before slicing.

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Quick to make, these pizza bagels are ideal for an afternoon snack, a quick dinner, or while camping (they’re a camping favorite of ours!) Top with anything you’d like.

• Bagels, split
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Tomato sauce
• Pizza seasonings
• Pepperoni
• Other toppings

Toast the bagel, then top the cut side of the page with tomato sauce, seasonings, toppings and then cheese. Toast in toaster oven until cheese is melted.

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Move beyond the traditional pepperoni pizza and add a sweet and savory flavor of pears and Gorgonzola cheese. Perfect for Saturday night home movies or as an appetizer for entertaining.

• 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 -4 large pears
• lemon juice
• sugar
• 2 oz. (or to taste) Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 2 oz. mozzarella cheese
• sprinkle of balsamic vinegar

Caramelize the onions in a saute pan. Melt the butter and add olive oil. When hot, add onions and sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar. Saute until onions begin to brown, then add in the balsamic vinegar and continue to saute until the onions are caramelized.

Toss the pears with lemon juice to prevent them from browning.

Spread the onions on the prepared pizza dough, then arrange pears on top. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and mozzarella, then place in oven or on grill for recommended cooking time (per the dough).

Try two of our favorite pizza dough recipes.

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Thick Crust Pizza Dough

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Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight results in a chewy crust with a slight tang. Letting it sit for up to three days adds even more texture and complexity.

Dough

• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water (90 to 105 degrees)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
• extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings

• one, 14-ounce can peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rumbled
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 lbs buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 32 large basil leaves, torn into pieces

 Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water and the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups of warm water, the 4 cups of flour and the kosher salt and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface a nd knead, adding dlour as necessary. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and brush all over with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for up to 3 days.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then punch down and divide into 4 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Rub each ball with oil and transfer to a baking sheet. Cover the balls loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 1 hour.

Prepare the toppings: Meanwhile, set a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing at least 45 minutes for the stone to heat. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill set over a medium bowl or pulse them in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Stir in the oregano and 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch one ball of dough into a 13-inch round; transfer to a floured pizza peel, adding flour where the dough sticks. Spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the dough to within 1 inch of the edge. Spread  one-fourth of the cheese over the pizza and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil. Season with sea salt and pepper and slide the pizza onto the stone. Bake until the bottom is charred and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. Scatter one-fourth of the basil on top and let stand for 3 minutes before serving. Repeat with the remaining doughs and toppings.

Source: Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2008.

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Delicious when topped with only tomato and cheese – the way the Neapolitan bakers in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century used to prepare it. At times, we mix things up and add a variety of differenttoppings. Some of our favorites toppings are proscuitto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and red onions; and Pear & Gorgonzola.

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Easy-Roll Dough Improver OR 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
• 3 cups King Arthur Italian-Style Flour*
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

*King Arthur Flour’s Italian-style 00 flour is the best choice for super-thin-crust pizza, as its lower protein level allows you to stretch it very thin indeed, with no fighting back. If you only have all-purpose flour, be aware that to stretch it thin, you’ll need to stretch it, then let it rest; stretch, then rest, until it’s as thin as you like. In addition, you’ll need to increase the amount of water to 1 cup.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl (or in a bread machine set on the dough/manual cycle), stir together all of the ingredients, then knead for 5 minutes, or long enough to make a fairly firm yet supple dough.

Divide the dough in half. Cover each half with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest and relax for 15 minutes (or longer, for added flavor).

Grease two sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper. Put a piece of dough on one piece of greased paper, then cover with the other piece of paper, greased side down. Roll the dough about 1/8″ thick, making a circle (which may escape the confines of the paper), an oval, or whatever irregular shape you like. Let the dough rest in the paper for 5 minutes; this will help prevent it from shrinking. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a lower rack. If you don’t have a pizza stone, prepare two baking sheets or large round pizza pans by lightly greasing them, or lining with parchment. (Or, if you’ve rolled the dough between pieces of parchment rather than waxed paper, you can simply use these to line your pans.)

If you’re using a pan, transfer the dough, bottom piece of parchment and all, to the pan. If you’re baking on a stone, remove the top piece of parchment, but leave the bottom piece. If you’ve used waxed paper, peel it off and discard it; it’s not oven-safe like parchment is.

While the oven is heating, let the dough rest, covered, for about 30 minutes; or for up to several hours, if you like a slightly thicker crust.

Uncover the dough, and place it in the oven. After 5 minutes, remove it from the oven, and top it with tomato sauce, garlic, and cheese.

Return the pizza to the oven; bake for an additional 5 minutes, then rotate the pans from top to bottom and back to front. Bake 5 minutes more, if necessary, or until the crust is brown.

9) Remove the pizzas from the oven, and transfer them to a rack. Slice and serve.

Yield: 2 large pizzas, about 16 slices total.

Source: King Arthur Flour, original recipe found here.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/thin-crust-pizza-reci

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• 1 lb pizza dough, thawed if frozen
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 oz)
• 3 oz thinly sliced salami (about 12 slices)
• 4 oz thinly sliced provolone (about 12 slices)
• 2/3 cup jarred roasted bell peppers, rinsed and chopped
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Quarter dogh. Roll out 1 piece into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle evenly with 1 tbsp parmesan and black pepper to taste. Arrange one-fourth each of salami, provolone, and roasted peppers in an even layer over the dough. Roll up dough round, then tuck ends under and pinch edges to seal.

Make 3 more rolls in the same manner and arrange 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush lightly with an egg and cut 3 (1/2-inch) steam vents in each roll. Bake in the middle oven until golden, 30-35 minutes.

Serves 4 (main course)

Source: Gourmet magazine, February 2002.

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• ¾ lb cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup panko
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 5 basil leaves, torn
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• pizza dough
• 3/4 cup coarsely grated aged Gouda (3 ounces)
• 6 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Basil pesto

Preheat the broiler. In a medium baking dish, toss the cherry tomatoes with the panko, garlic, shallot, basil and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil 6 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes pop and brown lightly.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Set a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and heat for at least 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough, transfer to a lightly flowered pizza peel. Spoon the cherry tomatoes onto the dough. Slide the pizza into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until sizzling and just set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each with the Gouda and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes until the cheeses are melted and the crust is lightly browned. Drizzle with a little pesto.

Adapted from Food & Wine Annual 2009

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Everyone looks forward to pizza night, and this thick crusted pizza is always a favorite. We make two – one topped with a classic pepperoni and cheese, the other topped with grilled vegetables. Perfect when paired with  a family-friendly movie, or alongside a lively game of dominoes.

The yeast mixture

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• ½ cup tepid water
• 1/8 tsp. sugar

additions to the yeast mixture

• ¾ cup cold milk, plus more, if needed
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil

The dry ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. salt

To make the dough

Whisk together the yeast ingredients and let proof for about 5 minutes. Measure dry ingredients into a bowl. Blend the ¾ cup of milk into the ready yeast mixture. Mix in yeast, then the oil, and drops of milk, if needed, just until the dough masses.

The dough will be very soft. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Turn out on lightly floured work surface. Knead 50 strokes by hand, let it rest for two minutes, and then knead another 20 strokes, to make a smooth, soft dough.

Let the dough rise until double in bulk, about 1 ½ hours – in a covered bowl.

If not ready to bake, punch dough down. The, chill or freeze dough. But it must then be brought to room temperature and start to rise again before you form and bake it.

Form pizza, prepare toppings. Bake at 425 for about 16 minutes.

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