Pizza Dough (with my variations)

Here's the pizza dough recipe we found:

Right out of the book (single batch):

1 C warm water

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar (or substitute)

1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 C flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil for greasing the bowl the dough rises in

* Combine water, sugar, yeast in a small bowl.

* Set aside for 10 minutes.

* Meanwhile combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.

* Add olive oil and yeast  to dry mixture.  

* Mix and knead for 10 minutes

* Form dough into a ball and let rise until doubled in size (about an hour)

* Punch down dough, and knead again for a minute or so.

* Let rest anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours

* Cut in two and stretch into rounds.

* Bake at 500 degrees.

                                                              

I've found this to be a little dry and "bread-y", not moist and pizza-crust like.  Also, it only makes two rounds.  Michelle and I nosh that in a heartbeat, and then there's no leftovers!  So, here's how I do it:

* Combine the following in the mixing bowl you intend to use for the whole process

       2 C warm water

       3 Tbsp agave

       2 scant Tbsp of yeast

* Mix this well to dissolve all of the yeast, and let sit for 10 minutes.

* After 10 minutes it should be all foamy and frothy - perfect!

* Dump in 1 1/2 C of whole wheat flour, and 1/2 C of white flour (2 C total)

* Turn on your nifty hand mixer and mix until smooth

* Add 4 Tbsp (same as 1/4 C) of Olive Oil (don't worry about going liberal on this one)

* Add 2 tsp. Sea Salt

* Back to the hand mixer until smooth again.

* Add another Cup of white flour and about a Tbsp or two of Wheat Gluten.

       (the extra gluten is completely optional - I don't always use it)

* Hand mixer again - get it smooth.

* At this point, the mixer should be having a hard time with the thickness of the dough, transfer to the table.

* Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time to keep it from sticking to your hands (I hate sticky hands!)

* After another 5-7 minutes of kneading, I find that I use a total of about 4 - 4 1/2 cups of flour.

* Grease a bowl with at least 4 tsp. olive oil, and put the dough inside.

* Cover the rising bowl with plastic wrap and a towel, and place in a warm oven for about 20 minutes

       (but not warm enough to melt a plastic bowl - a very embarrassing experience, trust me)

* After rising, punch down and knead for a minute

* Cut into 4 equal portions

* Knead each portion just to get it round again

* Heat oven to 450 degrees

* Stretch out the first round, and place it on a hot baking stone

* Set timer for 6 minutes

* At the three-minute mark, poke holes in the dough where you don't want it to inflate (like the middle)

* While the first is cooking, stretch out the second, and so on.

* After all the rounds are cooked, arrange the toppings as you wish, then turn on the broiler.

* With the rack in the middle, broil each pizza for about 45-60 seconds only.

Voila!  A pizza masterpiece that has every salivary gland struggling to keep up.

Happy cooking!