Easy Pizza Base
By OcadoLife
Published on 12 October 2022
Created by Pizza Pilgrims pizzeria founders Thom and James Elliot, this Easy Pizza Base recipe makes the ultimate fail-safe dough. Make a batch in advance and freeze, ready to whip out future speedy dinners. Match the base with their beautifully simple 3-Minute Tomato Sauce and your choice of toppings, or try their Frying Pan Pizza with ’Nduja and Ricotta Stuffed Crust. Time and servings
25 minsTotal time
25 minsPrep time
Ingredients
- 1 kg of extra fine 00 flour, plus extra for rolling
- 2 g of fresh yeast or 1g dried yeast
- 30 g of fine sea salt
Method
Step 1
Pile the flour onto the worktop and make a well in the centre.Step 2
Dissolve the yeast in 620ml cold water; pour a third into the well. Using your fingers, bring in the flour from the sides until the liquid is a porridgey consistency. Add more water and repeat until all the liquid is used up and you have a rough, wet mixture.Step 3
Sprinkle with sea salt; knead for about 8-10 mins, until elastic.Step 4
Cover with a clean damp tea towel and rest for 10 mins.Step 5
Divide into 8 x 230g balls; place on a tray 3cm apart. Cover again; leave to prove at room temperature for 2-3 hrs until doubled in size; chill overnight or freeze until needed.Step 6
Remove from the fridge 1-2 hrs before making your pizzas. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and stretch it out to about 25cm in diameter, before adding your toppings. If you like, you can make a stuffed crust, such as in the Frying Pan Pizza with ’Nduja and Ricotta Stuffed Crust, which has a stuffing of ’nduja and ricotta. Whatever stuffing you want to use, simply dollop your mixture around the edge of the pizza, being sure to leave a gap 2.5cm from the outer edge. Then carefully turn up the dough from the outer edge a little at a time and fold it over the stuffing so it’s hidden. Then press with your fingertips, all the way round, to seal the edge of the crust to the base.