Classic Pizza Dough
A simple, reliable dough for two 12-inch pizzas — crisp outside, chewy inside.
Ingredients
Serves
- 320ml warm water (around 40°C)
- 2 tsp dry yeast (or 1 x 7g sachet instant yeast)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 500g bread flour (or strong flour)
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Activate yeast: in a jug, mix the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let it sit until foamy on top (about 10 minutes).
- Mix dough: in a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well, pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix until it forms a shaggy dough.
- Knead on a floured bench until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
- First rise: place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 90 minutes).
- Punch down, divide into 2 equal balls, and shape each into a tight round. Rest, covered, on a floured tray (about 20 minutes).
- Stretch each ball into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings.
- Bake at the highest oven setting (250–280°C), ideally on a preheated pizza stone or steel, until the crust is golden and blistered (about 8-10 minutes).
Notes
For better flavour and an easier stretch, cold-ferment the dough in the fridge for 24–72 hours after the first rise instead of baking same-day. Bring back to room temp before shaping. Instant yeast (e.g. 7g sachets) doesn't strictly need proofing and can be mixed straight into the flour, but proofing it as above won't hurt.