Emerils Basic Pizza Dough Recipes

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH - PROCESSOR METHOD

Steps:

• Add the yeast and water to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Allow the yeast to dissolve until it is incorporated into the water, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Stir the mixture with a spoon until until the dough forms a ball, or place all the ingredients in a food processor until the dough forms a ball. After a few seconds of mixing or processing, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it is too sticky, add a bit more flour and process for another minute.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for 2 to 3 minutes, adding enough additional flour if necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough. Dough should not be sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Divide dough into 2 portions (for 2 (12-inch) pizzas) and form into balls. (See note below for calzones.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Transfer dough to a pizza peel and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.
• Note: For calzones, divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form into 4 balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll out into 4 6-inch circles. Place filling of choice in the center of one side of each circle, then fold dough over filling to meet edges of filled side. Crimp edges with a fork or your fingers, then cut a small slit in the top of the calzone to allow steam to escape while cooking. Cook on a preheated pizza stone in a preheated 475 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until well-browned. Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH - BY HAND METHOD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine yeast with water, olive oil, salt and stir well to proof. After 5 minutes, add half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly incorporate. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough. Dough should not be sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Divide dough into 2 portions (for 2 (12-inch) pizzas) and form into balls. (See note below for calzones.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Transfer dough to a pizza peel and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.
• Note: For calzones, divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form into 4 balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll out into 4 6-inch circles. Place filling of choice in the center of one side of each circle, then fold dough over filling to meet edges of filled side. Crimp edges with a fork or your fingers, then cut a small slit in the top of the calzone to allow steam to escape while cooking. Cook on a preheated pizza stone in a preheated 475 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until well-browned. Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.

PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• To the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the warm water and yeast and sugar and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the olive oil, flour, and salt. Mix with the dough hook until the dough comes together and climbs up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the mixer and, on a floured surface, form into a smooth ball shape. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place in a warm, draft free place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to desired size.

EMERIL LAGASSE'S PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of your heavy-duty mixer (like a Kenwood or KitchenAid), stir together the water, yeast and sugar; let sit until the mixture is foamy, which takes about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the oil and salt into the yeast mixture and, using the paddle attachment (also known as the K beater), combine until mixture is smooth.
• Switch to the dough hook.
• With the machine running at low, add remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time; make sure each addition of flour is incorporated before adding the next.
• Once all the flour has been added, turn up the speed and let the machine knead the dough for about 3 minutes; it should be very smooth and perhaps a bit tacky.
• Feel free to add an extra minute or two of kneading if you wish; it won't hurt the dough at all.
• Rub the insides of a large mixing bowl with a little olive oil; remove dough from machine, form into a ball, and place into oiled bowl, turning dough over to make sure all sides are oiled.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free area to rise; the dough should nearly double in size, which will take about 60 to 90 minutes.
• An old habit of mine is to place a towel around the bowl, just to make sure no drafts get to the dough.
• When dough is ready, lightly punch it down and knead it a bit, still right in the bowl.
• Lightly flour your work surface and place dough ball on it; let it rest for 10 minutes.
• This makes one large pizza; if you prefer two smaller pizzas, cut dough in half, then form into two balls and let rest, as above.
• After dough has rested, form into a 16-inch round (or two 8-inch rounds) and you're ready to make pizza, using your favourite toppings.
• The biggest trick here, when stretching out the dough, is not to get frustrated; if you find you're stretching the pizza and it's resisting and is too elastic, bouncing right back from each stretch, just walk away for a few minutes; after you let the pizza rest again, you'll find the dough will let you stretch it out.
• You might even want to try flipping it into the air a bit!
• Warning: let it come down on your knuckles, not your fingertips, or you'll tear the dough!
• The best way to bake your prepared pizza is on a baking stone (or you can use a pizza pan, if you don't have a stone) on your lowest oven rack; Emeril suggests 8 to 10 minutes at 475F, but a little lower temperature for a little longer works just fine too.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C) in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in canola oil, olive oil, and warm yeast mixture. Mix on low speed using the dough hook until dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl. Increase mixing speed to medium-high; let knead for 10 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a ball. Place dough ball into a bowl that's been brushed or sprayed with oil; cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 1 hour.
• Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down. Divide dough in 1/2 and form into 2 balls. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for an additional 45 minutes.
• Place each dough ball on a lightly floured work surface and form into a 12-inch round pizza crust.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Top pizzas as desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 18 to 24 minutes.

EMERIL'S BASIC DANISH DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs, milk and yeast together. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes under refrigeration.
• Using a pastry blender, blend the flour, salt, sugar, and cardamom together. Work the yeast mixture into the flour. Knead the dough until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Form the dough into a ball and allow to rest, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups butter until smooth.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into an oblong about 3/8 inches thick.
• Dot 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold the undotted dough over the remaining third of the butter-dotted portion. The dough is now in 3 layers.
• Roll the dough out gently into an oblong, 3/8-inch thick. Repeat the folding process two more times.
• Cover and chill the dough for 2 hours. Roll the dough into the desired shapes. Following the rolling techniques.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine sugar, water and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl.
• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
• Pour yeast mixture and oil in well and stir into dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.
• If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
• Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface.
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise until doubled.
• IF YOU HAVE A BREAD MACHINE skip the above steps and just put the ingredients in according to the machine's instructions and use the "dough" setting.
• Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Makes 1- deep dish or 2- 12-inch pizza crusts.
• To bake, top with your favorite sauce, cheese, etc., and bake at 450°F for about 15 minutes or until crispy and cheese is bubbling.