- 4 cups bread flour
- 1/2 T yeast
- 1/2 T salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1-1/2 lukewarm water
(optional additions)
- mixed dried or fresh herbs
- olive oil and sea salt
- combine flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with hook. Turn on low speed just to combine dry ingredients.
- Combine oil and water together, then add to dry ingredients while the hook is turning at low speed.
- Increase speed to medium until all ingredients have combined; add optional herbs.
- Beat dough on high speed, scraping the sides down with a spatula if needed to collect the straggly bits. Continue to mix dough like this for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough has become very elastic.
- Remove dough from mixing bowl. Oil bowl, replace the ball of dough and oil it well also. Cover with a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm area at least an hour or more, depending on warmth of your kitchen; dough should be loose and "drape" when you hold it up by one end.
- Portion dough as you like: it makes two 12" pizzas, four 8"x5" rectangles or about 12 8" mini pizzas.
- Once you have portioned dough into desired shapes, knead them gently, shape them into rounds and let them rise again for a few mintues.
- Preheat your oven to 450 F. You can toss your dough balls, roll them out with a pin or "spin" them on a flat, floured surface – it all works.
- Place dough on a baking sheet or pizza stone liberally dusted with fine corn meal. Top pizza with your favorite ingredients and bake until crust is golden, about 10-15 minutes.
- Before serving, brush crust with olive oil and dust with sea salt, if desired.