Italian Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 cups Warm Water
• 4 cups Plain White Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil Virgin, Extra Virgin (no matter)
• 2 tablespoons Honey can use sugar

Instructions

1. Preparing Yeast:
2. Pour warm water into a bowl large enough to accommodate water, honey (sugar), and yeast, as yeast will ferment and grow.
3. Add the honey (sugar) and yeast.
4. Stir until dissolved.
5. Let sit for approximately 10 minutes to mature (should be a nice silky smooth appearance).
6. Add salt and olive oil and stir until dissolved.
7. Making Dough:
8. Place 1 cup of flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk in the prepared yeast until flour is dissolved.
9. Add a second cup of flour and whisk in.
10. Add a third cup of flour and combine. At this stage the dough should be fairly think.
11. Add the last cup of flour and continue mixing.
12. Once all ingredients are combine and you have a firm dough, remove from mixer and continue to knead for a further 5-8 minutes on bench top, dusting from time to time as needed. You will know when the dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands.
13. At this point the dough should be silky smooth and slightly larger than a grapefruit.
14. Resting Dough:
15. Dust a large mixing bowl with flour and place in dough and seal with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on environment heat.
16. Dough will be ready when it is twice its original size.
17. Remove dough and cut in half.
18. Take one of the halves and knead for a further 5 minutes.
19. Once finished fold the dough into itself from underneath and place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest (proof) for a further 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
20. Repeat for second portion.
21. On completion punch down dough and remove onto a lightly floured bench top.
22. There is no need to knead the dough any further, but you can lightly massage into a ball prior to stretching out into pizza pan.
23. Cooking Dough:
24. Lightly oil pizza pan and stretch out dough to suit pan.
25. At this point you can allow the dough to rest a little or you can go straight to adding your toppings.
26. AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS TO OIL THE SURFACE OF YOUR DOUGH PRIOR TO ADDING YOUR SAUCE, AS THIS WILL ENSURE THE SAUCE DOES NOT ABSORB INTO THE DOUGH.
27. Pre-heat oven to 220(C) or 425(F) and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until you have the desired result.