Description
This quick pizza dough recipe offers a simple and speedy way to make delicious homemade pizzas with a crisp thin crust. Using basic ingredients like strong white bread flour and fast-action dried yeast, you can prepare a soft dough that requires minimal rising time, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or impromptu gatherings. Top your pizza with your favorite ingredients and bake on a preheated pizza stone or tray for a crispy, bubbling finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 sachet fast-action dried yeast (approximately 7g)
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 200ml warm water
- Large pinch of salt
For the Toppings
- Pizza toppings of your choice (e.g., tomato sauce, mozzarella, vegetables, meats, herbs)
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: Tip the strong white bread flour into a large bowl. Stir in the fast-action dried yeast and caster sugar evenly through the flour.
- Add wet ingredients and mix: Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour in 200ml of warm water along with a large pinch of salt. Using a wooden spoon, combine the ingredients until all the flour is incorporated and you have formed a soft dough.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Rest the dough: Place the dough into a bowl and cover it with a clean tea towel. Set it aside to rest for 5 minutes. (If time allows, you can let it rise longer for a thicker crust, but this is optional for a thin crust pizza.)
- Prepare the oven and baking surface: Heat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan) or gas mark 8. Place a pizza stone, sturdy baking sheet, or an upturned baking tray on the top shelf of your oven to heat thoroughly.
- Shape the dough: If you’ve allowed the dough to rise longer, gently knock it back by pressing it down. Divide the dough into two equal balls. On a floured surface, roll out one dough ball into a large circle using a rolling pin.
- Add toppings: Transfer the rolled dough onto a floured baking sheet. Evenly scatter over your chosen pizza toppings.
- Bake your pizza: Carefully slide the pizza from the baking sheet straight onto the preheated pizza stone or baking tray in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the toppings are bubbling, and the base is crisp and golden.
- Finish and serve: Remove the cooked pizza from the oven and repeat the shaping, topping, and baking steps with the second ball of dough. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- Using a warm liquid helps the yeast activate quickly, speeding up the dough formation.
- The dough requires minimal rising time, making it ideal for quick meal preparation, but longer resting will give a softer, thicker base.
- Preheating your pizza stone or baking tray ensures a crispier crust.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, an upturned baking tray works as a good alternative to achieve similar results.
- Feel free to customize the toppings to your preference, from classic margherita to meat lovers or vegetable-packed pizzas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes per pizza
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: quick pizza dough, homemade pizza, thin crust pizza, easy pizza recipe, pizza baking
