Pizza Dough

In a mixer bowl, add warm water, honey and yeast. Stir to combine and let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy.

By hand stir in the salt, olive oil and 1 cup of flour. Then add the remaining two cups of flour stirring until incorporated and beginning to come together.

Using your mixer with a dough hook, continue to knead dough for 7 minutes at medium speed until a smooth ball forms. Assess if more flour is needed to bring the dough together and add by tablespoonful. The dough should barely stick to the bottom of the bowl.

Place dough ball in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in a warm spot for one hour. I use my warming drawer on the proofing setting. Dough should double in size.

After an hour, punch it down, divide in half and make your pizza balls by gently rolling dough into a ball. Stretch the top of the ball down and around the rest of the ball, until the outer layer wraps around the entire ball. Pinch the two ends together to make a smooth ball with a tight outer “skin.” Set it seam-side down to rest. place each half on its own sheet of parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes to an hour. Dough balls will once again double in size.

Gently form the dough using your hands with light pressure so not to squeeze all of the air out of it. Keep on the parchment paper to easily slide into the oven.

Immediately after kneading the dough, form into a ball, place into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for the first rise for up to five days for an even more flavorful pizza crust. Once ready to use, divide dough, form into two balls and place in oiled bowls, flipping to coat top of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours before forming and baking.

Place dough on parchment paper for baking. (It is so much easier to transfer!) Sprinkle with a little flour if necessary and gently stretch it into the desired shape. Top pizza and bake.