Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour – your choice
• 1 oz (28 g) fresh yeast or ½ oz (14 g) dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ pint (150 ml) tepid water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus a little for brushing the top and oiling the tray(s)

Method for Pizza Dough:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Cream the yeast with a little of the water and leave until frothy.
2. Make a well into the flour and add the yeast, olive oil, remaining water and mix to a dough.
3. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Put into a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
5. Turn onto a floured surface, knock back with your hand or fist to remove any air pockets, knead again for a few minutes and roll into a ball.
6. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 8 (450°F/230°C).
7. When the dough has risen again, flatten it down lightly with a rolling pin and place on a well-oiled rectangular or circular tin.
8. Stretch and pull the dough with your fingers until it has covered the size of the tin. The edges of the dough should be slightly thicker than the middle but it should be no  thicker than ¼” overall unless you like a thick crust.
9. Make small depressions with your fingers in the dough and brush with oil.
10. Spread with pizzaiola tomato sauce.
11. Top with the filling of your choice and bake for 10 minutes in the hot oven and then reduce the heat to moderate – Gas Mark 4 (350°F/180 °C) – and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes or until browned and crisp.

Note: Serve hot. Makes 1 large pizza or, if smaller pizzas are wanted, break the dough into small lumps, roll into balls and leave to rise separately.