Description
This Pizza with Crispy Crust recipe offers a delicious homemade pizza featuring a perfectly crispy, golden-brown crust topped with savory pizza sauce, melted mozzarella cheese, and your choice of toppings. The dough is made from scratch using simple ingredients and baked in a hot oven for an optimal texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup warm water (110°F)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Toppings
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Toppings of choice (e.g., pepperoni, bell peppers)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until frothy. This step is essential to activate the yeast and help the dough rise properly.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually add the yeast mixture and olive oil; mix until a dough forms. This will bring the dough together and start gluten development.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth. Then place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone inside if available. A hot oven ensures a crispy crust.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll the risen dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Transfer the rolled dough to a baking sheet or a preheated pizza stone for baking.
- Prepare Pizza Base: Brush the dough surface with olive oil to help crisp the crust and then spread pizza sauce evenly over it to form the base layer.
- Add Cheese and Toppings: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce, and add your desired toppings evenly on top.
- Bake the Pizza: Bake the pizza in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted. Remove and let cool slightly before slicing.
Notes
- Ensure the water is warm but not hot to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- You can customize toppings according to your preference; vegetables, meats, or even vegan cheese can be used.
- Using a pizza stone helps achieve a crispier crust but can be substituted with a baking sheet.
- Letting the dough rise sufficiently is key to a light and airy crust.
- Brush olive oil lightly on the crust edges to get a golden finish.
