Cooking with Kimes: National Pizza Day

Happy National Pizza Day! I don’t know about you, but this one is a favorite of mine! I love a good pizza, especially one I can whip up on a busy weeknight or for a movie night at home!

I have simplified the perfect pizza dough with minimal steps, minimal rise time, and perfectly delicious results every time!

Easy Pizza Dough Ingredients:

4 cups of bread flour (sub: all-purpose flour for a chewier crust)
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt (switch it up with garlic salt or an herb infused salt for extra flavor)
1 packed or 2 teaspoons of instant yeast
1 1/2 cups of warm water
2 tablespoons of olive oil

If you have an electric mixer, this will be ready in no time. If not, you can absolutely still make perfect crust by hand kneading it. Just a few minutes and it will be smooth and ready to proof! I don’t always use my stand mixer, and I have great results both ways!

Directions:

Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl, and whisk to incorporate. While stirring (or with mixer on low and using hook attachment) slowly add in the warm water and olive oil. If your dough seems a little bit dry, just add in another tablespoon or two of water. It should be slightly tacky but not stick to your fingers.

Hand knead method: once the dough has formed a ball, remove from bowl and hand knead until smooth and supple; about 5-6 minutes.

Mixer method: leave your mixer on low and knead for 4-5 minutes until smooth.

Form into a ball and place in a bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Feel free to use the same bowl you mixed in. Make sure all sides have been coated in the oil.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour to proof. I like to set mine on top of my stove top with the pilot light on to speed up the process.

Once the hour has passed, divide the dough into two equal pieces and gently pat into your pizza circles. Let rest for 10 minutes prior to putting your toppings on.

Here comes the fun! I like to use a preheated pizza stone to bake my pizza on. If you don’t have one handy, don’t fret! Use a preheated cookie sheet or even cast iron skillet instead!
Preheat your oven and stone, sheet, or skillet to about 480°. You want it to be hot! Load up your pizza with all the toppings you desire and bake for 9-12 minutes until golden and cheese is bubbling.

I have listed a few tricks here to make your pizza dreams come true!
-use fresh ingredients whenever possible.
-try to use cheeses with low moisture (I pat my mozzarella with a paper towel to remove extra water.
-brush the crust with olive oil or butter to give it a golden crunch!
-have fun! This is great for date nights, sleepovers, parties, and even for the kids to get involved! Who doesn’t love to create their own pizza!

I hope you enjoy this easy pizza dough recipe. You can top it with whatever toppings you love! I’ve even made dessert pizza with Nutella and marshmallows! Yes, it’s delicious.

Don’t forget to share your National Pizza Day creations with us!

Thank you for Cooking With Kimes,
Celeste