Pizza Dough (optional Stuffed Crusts!)

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water (about 110 degrees)
• 1 (2 1/4 teaspoon) envelope active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• yellow cornmeal, for sprinkling the baking sheet
• ricotta cheese (any melting cheese would work) or mozzarella cheese (any melting cheese would work)

Recipe

• 1 in a bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar.
• 2 stir to combine.
• 3 in the food processor, combine flour and salt and pulse.
• 4 add the yeast mixture, cold water, and oil.
• 5 pulse until a ball is formed: this will happen quickly, be careful not to overwork the dough.
• 6 scrape dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for several minutes until dough is smooth.
• 7 allow dough to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
• 8 place dough in oiled bowl and allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• 9 punch down and divide dough into 2-4 pieces.
• 10 at this point, you may wrap the dough in plastic and either freeze it for up to 3 weeks or wrap it up and refrigerate it for 3-4 days.
• 11 shape dough, let rise for another 30 minutes, and top with desired toppings.
• 12 bake at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
• 13 optional stuffed crust instructions: roll out pizza.
• 14 pipe ricotta around the edge of the round and fold the edges over.
• 15 or, cut mozzarella into logs and place on the edges of the round and fold over the edges.
• 16 be sure to make slits in the tops of edges with a knife so the crusts don't explode.
• 17 top with desired toppings and bake as above.