Homemade Basic Pizza Base Recipe

Sharing a Basic Pizza Base Recipe with step by instructions and detailed video instructions.

My pizza journey started when pizza huts and pizzerias mushroomed in each and every city in India. That time we were posted in meerut and my daughters were very young and we had to drive precisely 10 kms to fulfil their pizza cravings haha …those days!! In fact, all the elderly ladies in the unit always used to tell me why don’t you learn to make pizza instead? You are such a good cook.

But, during our childhood we never even heard about any such thing. I was very confident with indian cooking but this was something new for me. However, after some time I thought of giving pizza a chance and cook it myself. I was not very confident with breads, so my first try was like a nightmare. The Pizza Base turned out to be rubbery and hard. But, with time and experience I started achieving very good results and to be honest now my pizzas are very popular among my family and friends. Especially, among my little friends- my daughters’ classmates and friends! 

This is my go-to Pizza Base recipe. I published it on my blog in 2013 and after making it for the millionth time, I decided it’s time for an update with a video tutorial and clearer recipe instructions.

Pizza dough is the foundation of any good pizza. Honestly, every great pizza begins with a great pizza crust. Some like thin and crisp pizza crusts, while others prefer thick and soft pizza crusts. This homemade pizza base has it all: soft & chewy with a delicious crisp and an AWESOME flavour.

HOW TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH:

Since I literally make this easy homemade pizza dough recipe once a week (at least), I have gathered a whole set of tips and tricks to ensure it turns out perfectly for you every single time. So let’s walk through the process step by step.

PROOF THE YEAST :

Start by proofing your yeast- which means mixing together water, sugar and yeast and letting it sit until it becomes foamy and bubbly (for about 5 minutes).

 I use Dry yeast. Dry yeast is fantastic because it is easy to use and it strengthens your dough. Plus, it is simple to use. You only need 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of it to get the job done. It’s important that you use warm, but not hot water. Ideally around about 40°C or 150ºF. If the water is too warm it will kill the yeast and it won’t proof (become nice, foamy and activated).

 MIX THE DOUGH:

Once the yeast is proofed, add the olive oil, 2 cups of the flour and salt and stir to combine. The dough will start to form a sticky ball, add more flour as needed. Once it does, transfer it to a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until a smooth ball forms.

KNEAD THE DOUGH

I make this easy pizza dough recipe by hand, but it can easily be made and kneaded in a standing mixer. It’s so fast and simple that I prefer to save some dishes and not pull out my mixer for this one.

Knead it until it becomes smooth and not sticky. Adding a little extra flour may be required to achieve the perfect consistency. Be sure to only add 1-2 TBS at a time so you don’t overdo it. Let this dough rise until doubled in size. This process will result in a softer, more tender dough.

FORM & ROLL THE DOUGH 

Once the dough is doubled and becomes smooth and elastic, start by forming it into your desired shape. We usually make rectangular pizzas because they’re easier to cut (in my opinion). However, we can make it round like a traditional pizza.

Once you form it into the desired shape, roll it out on a well-floured surface with cornmeal until it’s about 1/2″ thick. Be sure to fold over the edges to form the outer crust.

Cornmeal isn’t in the dough, but it’s used to dust the pizza pan. I learnt this simple trick after years of experience and trust me it works.Cornmeal gives the pizza crust a little extra flavour and crisp. Most restaurant pizzas you enjoy have cornmeal at the bottom of their crust!

This is a Lean Bread Dough

A lean dough doesn’t use eggs or butter. Without the extra fat to make the dough soft, you’re promised a crusty pizza crust. (However, I recommend using some olive oil for flavour and to keep the interior on the softer side.) 

1. Mix the dough ingredients together by hand or use a hand-held or stand mixer.
2. Knead by hand or beat the dough with your mixer. I like doing this by hand and you can check out how to do it in the video.
3. Place the dough into a greased mixing bowl, cover tightly, and set aside to rise for about 90 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Punch down risen dough to release air bubbles. Divide into 2 pieces.
5. Roll dough out into a 12-inch circle. Cover and rest as you prep the pizza toppings.
6. Top with your favourite pizza toppings.
7. Bake pizza at the temperature of 200ºF for only about 15 minutes.

Follow these basic instructions for a thick, crisp, and chewy pizza crust at home. The recipe yields enough pizza dough for two 12-inch pizzas and you can freeze half of the dough for later.

NOTE: The recipe can be made in two ways: with and without yeast. If you want to make the dough without yeast you can add baking powder instead of the yeast.

Here is the step by step recipe :

You will find more such interesting recipes in blog category let’s bake. you will find recipes like..

• Macaroni Casserole- Kids Friendly
• How to make Cheese stuffed pizza
• Pizza pockets
• PINWHEEL PIZZA
• KULCHA PIZZA
• Exotic Healthy Pizza
• And so on..

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