All Purpose Crust Recipes

THE BEST PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Let stand until bubbles form on surface. In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and, if desired, dried herbs. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead, adding more flour to surface as needed until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes; transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before rolling.

THE BEST PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

PIZZA CRUST (ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR OR SPELT FLOUR)

Steps:

• Set aside 1 cup of flour from total amount.
• Mix 1 1/2 cup flour, yeast and salt.
• Put oil in hot water.
• Add water and oil to flour mixture.
• Stir well.
• Add extra cup of flour.
• Knead. Pay attention to the consistency of the dough. Sometimes with Spelt flour you need to add a bit extra to get the doughy consistency you need.
• Let rest for 10 minutes.
• Press into greased pizza pan.
• Top with favorite pizza toppings.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Enjoy!

ALL-PURPOSE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.

ALL-PURPOSE CRUST

Steps:

• Add 2 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoons sliced almonds pulsed in a food processor until finely ground.
• Replace sugar with 1 tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes.
• Add 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
• In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients until combined. Add butter and shortening; pulse until texture is rough and largest pieces of shortening are the size of peas, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse to combine. Pinch dough; if it doesn't hold together, mix in remaining 1 tablespoon water. Form dough into a round; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 days. dust a piece of waxed paper with flour; roll out dough to form a 12" circle. lay dough in 9" pie pan, waxed paper side up. gently remove paper, then press dough into pan. trim edge of crust so there is 1 inch of overhang remaining. Fold over edge; pinch crust at 1/2-inch intervals to form a crimped edge. Add pie filling when indicated.

PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.