By Chef Alli
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for oiling the mixing bowl
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 package instant yeast (2 ½ tsp.)
3 cups all-purpose flour, combined with ½ tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
Place the warm water, oil and sugar into a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine; sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let this mixture rest until the top appears foamy, approximately five minutes.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl one cup at a time until well incorporated. If the dough seems too stiff, add a bit more warm water, a little at a time. If the dough seems too sticky, add a bit more flour, a little a time, until the dough is soft, yet only slightly sticky.
Place the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface, kneading it just until the dough feels elastic, smooth and easy to work with, adding extra flour to the work surface and your hands only as needed. Don’t overwork the dough as this will make it tough in texture.
Place the dough into an oiled mixing bowl, turning it over to coat it in the oil on all sides, then drizzle the top of the dough with a bit more olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a light kitchen towel, placing it into a draft-free area of your kitchen. Let the pizza dough rise until it’s doubled in size, approximately one hour.
Punch the pizza dough down, kneading it on a lightly floured work surface once more just until the dough is smooth (about one minute). Divide the dough into two softball-size portions, then roll out to prepare your dough for the grill.
Dough may be made ahead, wrapped and frozen for up to three months, then thawed at room temperature when ready to use.
