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A simple basic pizza dough that’s ready the same day. This recipe will show you how to make two large oven tray pizzas for sharing.
The base of a pizza is a pretty big deal, some like it thin and crispy and others thick and fluffy. With this easy basic pizza dough, you can adjust the thickness of your pizza to your liking and it will come out perfect every time, all you need is some simple pantry ingredients.
I’ve been making homemade pizzas since I met my boyfriend (10 years ago) and I’ve been hooked ever since. I never never never buy store bought pizzas, the bases are dry and very unappealing to me plus the fact that there are almost always some nasty ingredients thrown in for good measure.
Making homemade pizza dough is so easy and fun, who doesn’t like decorating their own pizza and choosing their favourite toppings? It’s just as fun for me as I’m sure it is for kids and it makes pizza night so much more entertaining.
How To Store Pizza Dough?
At room temperature – When making pizza dough to use on the same day it’s best to leave it in a warm dry place for it to rise. Leaving it in a bowl wrapped with lightly oiled cling film or a damp tea towel at room temperature is perfect.
In the fridge – If you plan to make your pizza dough the day before it’s best to store it in the fridge. Don’t worry about it being cold, the dough will still rise it will only take longer. If you are leaving your dough for 24 hours then that is plenty time for it to rise into a light and airy dough.
Can pizza dough be frozen? You can freeze homemade pizza dough no problem. Once you have let the dough rise, knock the air out and divide it into portion sizes. I normally make 2 large pizzas at home to share so I divide it in 2. You can divide it into single portion sizes then wrap it in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tip- You can also freeze any leftover pizza that has been cooked with all its toppings. Simply defrost the pizza either in the fridge or a room temperature and reheat it in the oven.
What Is The Best Flour To Use To Make Pizza?
I always used to use type 00 flour to make pizza dough until I moved to Italy and found out that the best type of flour to use is type 0. I now always use type 0, it’s the best type of flour to use for this best basic pizza dough.
Type 0 flour is a soft wheat flour, richer in gluten than type 00 it creates a more elastic and robust dough making it perfect for pizzas. Type 00 is a great alternative although will result in a softer dough.
If you can get your hands on type 0 always use it, if not the second option would be type 00 and if you’re unlucky enough to not find any of them then normal all-purpose flour will have to do. It’s not the end of the world, you’ll still have great pizzas.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItIdeas for homemade pizza toppings;
- Pizza Napoli
- Basil pesto pizza with mozzarella and roasted cherry tomatoes
- Quattro stagioni – four seasons pizza
- Prosciutto cotto (ham) and artichoke heart pizza
- Burrata with salami, olives and capers
- Cheesy speck and mushroom pizza
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The Best Basic Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 grams type 0 flour, (4 cups or 1.1 lbs) can also use type 00 flour
- 2 tsp fast action dried yeast, (7g)
- 320 ml lukewarm water, ( 1 and 1/3 cups)
- 1 pinch pinch salt
Instructions
- Add the yeast to the lukewarm water and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast and water and start to mix it together until a rough dough forms. If it's too sticky you can gradually add a little more flour.
- Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes until it's smooth and soft. If you lightly press your finger on the ball of dough it should spring back up easily.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave at room temperature to prove for at least 4-6 hours.
- About 1-2 hours before you plan on using the dough split it in half and shape it in to two balls (make sure to keep it covered).
- Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough out to fit your baking tray (dust your trays with flour too). Top with your desired toppings and bake your pizza at the highest setting your oven will go for about 10 minutes or until the crust is crispy and slightly golden.
Notes
- Type 0 flour can be replaced with type 00 or all-purpose flour.
- This dough make enough to make 2 large pizzas that serve 4-6 people
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
hi! does it make a difference if i use a metal bowl and spoon?
No, you can use a metal spoon and bowl 🙂
At what temperature should it be baked at?
As high as your oven will go for about 10 minutes.
Sorry, what type of flour is ‘o’ flour? I’ve heard of it before but never used it. Thank you so much.
Italian Farina Tipo 0 (zero) flour is slightly less refined than 00 (double zero) flour so it contains more protein and gluten. It’s what’s used in Italy for making pizzas but it can be really difficult to find outside of Italy so if you can find 00 flour which is a little more common use that or you could use bread flour or all-purpose flour which you’ll have access to no problem but won’t give you as good a pizza as the other two flours.
Are there instructions for what temperature to cook the pizza dough at and for how long?
Hi Ali, I cook homemade pizzas at the highest temperature my oven will go or at least 450F (230C). You can find all our pizza recipes here if you’re looking for any topping ideas. It’ll take 10-15 minutes to cook.
Can a pizza be made, frozen and cooked at a later stage
Yes, pizzas are great for freezing.
Love this recipe, have used it quite a few times now and its fail safe and incredibly easy. If I wanted to double up the recipe, would I need to double the yeast also?
Hi Rav, so happy that you’ve been enjoying it! Yes, I’d also double the yeast if making a double batch 🙂
Just used this recipe today(using all purpose flour) and it turned out wonderful. I dont know how to post a picture on here but i would if i could. It was delicious and my family was eating the pizza as fast as i could make them. Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Danielle, thank you so much for your lovely comment, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Everyone needs this type of recipe. Homemade pizza is the best. Better than anything in a box, and not as hard to make as most may think.
Definitely better than anything out of a box, I totally agree!
This is seriously such an awesome resource! I confess, I buy the whole-grain refrigerated pizza dough from our grocery store to save time. But you make preparing it from scratch seem so easy! I am inspired!
Thanks so much Katie, I hope you enjoy making it at home!
I love homemade pizza, it’s the best. I don’t even buy pre-made pizza because making it from scratch relaxes me :). I will pin this recipe for pizza dough to try it. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks so much Silvia, I love making dough too!
Making your own pizza dough is certainly worthwhile, it doesn’t take long and is so much better than most shop bought bases. I find making a batch, and freezing smaller portions is an excellent way of having something easy to fall back on. I do sometimes use the no yeast version and find it is just as tasty, and takes no time to make.
Yes, freezing the dough is a great idea and so handy to have. Thanks so much Helen!