Pizza Dough 2 Ways

*makes four individual pizzas 

Ingredients

 * 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
 * 1½ tsp salt
 * ½ to 1 tsp instant yeast
 * 1 tbsp olive oil
 * 1¼ cup water

Directions
Measure out the flour, salt and a teaspoon of yeast into a big bowl. Mix the oil into the flour with your hands, crumbling it until the texture is a bit sandy, then add the room-temperature water. Keep mixing with your hands until it comes together.
 * FAST METHOD

Knead the dough on a lightly floured countertop for 5 to 7 minutes, until it becomes a smooth elastic ball. The dough will be smooth but quite wet.

Add a small amount of oil to a bowl. Place your dough ball in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1½ to 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. It’s done rising when it has doubled in size. Then it’ll be ready to shape into your favorite pizza!


 * SLOW METHOD If you’re organized enough to make the slow dough, I recommend taking the extra time: it’s the best.

Use the same process as at left, but add only ½ teaspoon of yeast to the flour mixture. Rather than room temperature, the water should be very cold.

After you place the dough ball in a bowl and cover it, put it into the fridge overnight. Letting the yeast work overnight creates a better flavor; it also makes the dough more elastic and easier to work with.

The next day, 2 to 3 hours before you want to bake your pizzas, remove the dough from the fridge to return to room temperature