This is a traditional Italian pizza basic pizza dough recipe that I’ve learned from my nonna Angela. She used to say that pizza is cibo per l’anima (food for the soul) – a comfort food, ideal for those days when you’re a little down and also for relaxing moments with the family.
Ingredients:
- 2 sachets easy-blend dried yeast
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 125 ml/ 4 fl oz. lukewarm water
- 425 grams/ 15 oz. Italian tipo “00” flour (or plain flour), plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5-7 tablespoons water
Instructions:
- Crumble the yeast into a small bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Add the water, then stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Cover with a clean tea towel and prove in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
- Sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a hollow in the center and pour the yeast mixture, salt, olive oil, and the water into it.
- Knead everything into a smooth, silky dough, then shape it into a ball. Dust the ball with a little flour, cover and set aside in warm place to rise for a further hour, or until doubled in volume.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C/ 425F/ Gas Mark 7. Grease four round pizza tins.
- When the dough is doubled in volume, divide the dough into four equal portions and roll them out into rounds on a floured work surface. Place the rounds in the tins. (Next, you can apply the pizza ingredients and bake for around 20 minutes.)
