Pizza Dough Recipe

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*

1 1/4 cups semolina

2 tablespoons dough relaxer (optional, but helpful)

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water

*Use a total of 3 cups all-purpose flour if you don't have semolina.  My favorite recipe is to use 1 1/2  cups whole wheat and  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.  Jeff prefers the semolina recipe.  The kids eat both.   

Mix and knead together all the above ingredients-- I use my mixer-- until you've created a smooth, soft dough.  Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, then refrigerate it for 4 hours (or up to 36 hours).  Divide the dough and shape into pizza rounds and place each on a piece of parchment paper cut to fit.  Cover the dough and let it rest while you heat the oven (and baking stone if you have one) to 500 F.  

After 30 minutes, transfer pizzas and parchment paper to your hot oven stone; or place the pizza and parchment on a pan and place the pan on the middle rack of the oven.  Bake for  4 minutes, then remove from oven.  

To make pizza now:  Top with your favorite toppings, return to the lowest rack of the oven (not the stone) and bake for an additional 8 minutes.  

To make later:  Remove parchment, cool the un-topped pizza crusts, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate (for up to 5 days) or freeze for up to 4 weeks.  When you are ready to serve, heat oven to 450.  Top them with your favorite topping and place them on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet, then into the oven.  Bake the pizzas on the lowest rack of the oven (not on a stone) for 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbly.