Originally published on April 8, 2014
I’ve made pizza dough before, probably about a hundred times. But Bobby Flay’s recipe is a great example of why you should never tie yourself down to just one recipe. Because sometimes, branching out leads you to bigger and better things; like I did when I tried Flay’s dough. Bobby’s dough is much lighter, much flakier, and much more – well – like the way I think pizza dough is supposed to taste and look. And dare I say, it’s even easier to make than what I had been doing.
I do however, make one slight change when I make it. I add the sugar and yeast to the warm water and bloom the yeast before adding it to the dough. It’s not that I don’t trust Bobby Flay, but I do know that salt kills yeast. And I know that sugar helps it live. This trick might just be what makes this dough what it is. Bobby also uses a stand mixer for his. Until I win the lottery and can spend over $300 on a not-really-necessary kitchen appliance, I’m stuck with my food processor (which I love, by the way.) If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry. This recipe will do just fine in it.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 – 4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups warm water, about 110 degrees Fahrenheit
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
Directions:
1.) Bring water to temperature over medium heat on the stove top. When warm, add the yeast and the sugar and stir to combine.
2.) Meanwhile, combine the bread flour and kosher salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. When the water is warm enough, add to the food processor along with two tablespoons of the oil. Allow the processor to continue running until the dough has formed a ball. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth ball.
3.) Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place dough inside, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, and allow to sit in a warm area until the dough has doubled in size, about one hour.
4.) Once dough has risen once, turn it back out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Cover again with the tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes before rolling it out (or taking great joy out of tossing it up in the air,) covering with toppings, and baking in a preheated oven.
5.) Serve and enjoy!