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Homemade Pizza Dough

Course Dinner
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

**Pizza Dough**

  • 2.5 cups warm water about 110ºF
  • 1 package dry active yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 5 – 5.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup olive oil

**Pizza Toppings**

  • 3 cups pizza sauce
  • 3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
  • 1 lb. ground Italian sausage uncooked and broken into small pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium green bell peppers finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • Red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of flour. Whisk until blended.
  • Add 4 more cups of flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon. If dough is sticky, add remaining ½ cup of flour.
  • Transfer dough to a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball.
  • Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place dough inside, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm, dark place for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease two baking sheets with olive oil.
  • After proofing, punch dough down and divide in half. Roll out each half to fit a baking sheet.
  • Transfer rolled dough to baking sheets. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Decide on crust thickness. For thicker crust, skip second punch-down.
  • Spread sauce on dough, leaving a 1-inch crust. Add cheeses, toppings, and seasoning.
  • Bake at 450ºF for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375ºF and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  • Cool for 5 minutes, then slice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and extra parmesan.

Notes

  • Recipe makes 2 sheet pan-sized pizzas.
  • Proof dough in a warm oven if climate is cold.
  • Freeze extra dough for later use.
  • Let dough rise twice for best results.
  • Monitor pizza while baking, as oven temperatures vary.
  • Customize toppings to your taste preferences.