Basics: Pizza Dough

This is my absolute, favorite pizza dough.  I think I like it so much because 

1. You can easily mix it by hand.

and

2. It doesn't have to rise.

Favorite Pizza Dough

2-1/2-3 cups flour

1 Tbs yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

2 Tbs oil

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and oil. Stir until smooth. Add remaining flour to form dough. Roll out and shape. Now you're ready to make whatever kind of pizza your heart desires.

STEP-BY-STEP

 Into a medium bowl, add two cups of flour (I'm using regular all-purpose, but any kind - whole wheat, bread, gluten free, etc- will work.)

 Add 1 tablespoon instant yeast

 and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Mix together.

 Now add 1 cup of warm water (not too hot, not too cold - about the same temperature you would wash your hands in)

 and 2 tablespoons of oil.

 Using a spoon mix well until it forms a ball.

 Now a 1/4 cup at a time, keep adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

 It's easier if you dump the dough out onto a clean counter top and knead the remaining flour in.

 To knead, you pull the dough on top of itself

 and then push it flat with the palm of your hand and then repeat.

 Once the dough is no longer sticky, form it into a ball and cover it with a bowl ( I use the one I mixed it in).

Let it rest for 10 minutes.

 To shape it, I flatten it out (in my greased pan),

 and use my fingers to uniformly press it into the bottom of a pizza pan.

No flipping or punching required.

Now you're ready for the toppings.