Simple Pizza Base Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups bakers flour (other flour can probably be substituted)


• 2 tbs olive oil


• 1 tps salt


• 1 tps castor sugar


• 1 cup warm water


• 1 sachet dried yeast (2 teaspoons)

Preparation

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt, sugar and 1 tbs oil in large bowl (I use a glass bowl, which helps with the proving later).


2. Gradually add in the water, until a good consistency is reached (depending on the ambient temperature you may not need all the water).


3. If dough is too wet (it'll be sticky & glisten), add in more flour while kneading.


4. Sprinkle flour on bench, and knead dough (around 5-10 minutes until the dough is supple).


5. Roll dough into ball, place into bowl.


6. Pour remaining 1 tbs oil over the top of the dough.


7. Cover bowl with cling wrap and leave in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, preferably in the sun. Using a clear glass bowl for this helps, as the sun shines directly on the dough, helping it to rise (prove).


8. Once dough has risen, make a fist and punch out the air.


9. Take out of bowl, cut in half (for two bases). You may freeze one base now in cling film


10. Take one base and roll it into a ball again and allow to rise again for 30 mins in the covered bowl.


11. Sprinkle semolina on bench, and roll each ball out to fit the size of your tray/stone. Base should be about 8 mm thick. Depending on your oven, this may be too thin, so play it by ear.


12. Place bases onto tray/stone, possibly with some flour or smear of oil (or spray) underneath to stop sticking.


13. Add toppings, etc.

Makes 2 large bases.