Homemade Pizza Dough Straight From Italy

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And the Romans know how to make fantastic thin crust pizza! When I lived there, an Italian grandma taught me how to make dough.

Although the pros (and little old Italian ladies) make out-of-this-world pizza, you can too! The most crucial part is the dough.

To get started, heat up 2 tablespoons of water to between 105 and 115 degrees Farenheit — any cooler and your yeast won’t proof, any warmer and your yeast will die. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of yeast into the accurate temperature of water and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, measure out your flour, salt, and olive oil. Once your yeast is bubbly, add it to the dry mixture. Then add ½ cup water. After this, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough sticks together. It’s helpful to mix with your hands at this point to really ensure that you don’t add too much water.

Here’s a few helpful things to note:

• For an extra smooth and authentic dough, purchase European type 00 flour. This has a higher protein content than most processed all purpose flours, and it’s exactly what they use in Italy. You can use any kind of all purpose flour, but be aware that it may be a bit more tough than you’d like.
• Don’t directly mix the salt and the yeast. Be sure to stir the salt into the flour before adding the yeast mixture.
• A little bit of olive oil adds just the right amount of elasticity to your dough. If you add too much, your dough will become too stretchy.
• There’s no precise measurement for the water because you add enough water until the dough ball sticks together. That’s how Italian grandma’s make pasta – by the look and feel of the dough.

Roll it out as thin as possible without any tears, then partially bake the crust. This is like searing a roast; it crusts the outside so that the toppings don’t get absorbed into the dough. Top with whatever you like, then finish baking until bubbly and crispy!

Buon appetito!