artisan pizza dough- crispy, chewy, bubbly crust
So You Want Artisan Pizza at Home?
Alright—picture this: Friday night, playlist humming, flour dust swirling through the kitchen. I’m up to my wrists in dough, and my old tabby is eyeing me like I’m about to invent cat pizza (trust me, not yet). Artisan pizza dough has become my low-key party trick. Friends still talk about that one birthday where the crust nearly upstaged the gifts. Oh, and the first time I managed those big, dramatic air bubbles? Felt like I’d discovered fire.
I mean, store-bought is fine (no judgment; we’ve all been there), but once you’ve coaxed a dough to just the right chewy, crispy, bubbly state—the kind that shatters gently under your teeth but still pulls, all toasty and tangy—you may never go back. Or at least you’ll try not to, though some days the supermarket calls my name, too.
Why This Dough Is Worth the Mess
I make this pizza dough mostly on Saturday afternoons, usually when the weather’s a bit grim and I want to feel like I’ve accomplished something momentous (besides finishing a series on Netflix). My family goes absolutely bonkers for it, especially that puffy, crunchy outer crust; honestly, the center is just a vehicle for the edges. There’s always that moment, somewhere between stretching the dough and the first sniff of yeasted air, when I remember all those tough, overbaked attempts and laugh—because this time I know it’ll work out. (Sometimes I end up with flour on my nose anyway.)
And you know what? Even if the first go isn’t perfect, there’s nothing like the smell of fresh dough baking. Except maybe biting into a crispy, chewy, oh-so-bubbly pizza slice with your name on it.
What You’ll Need (With a Few Options)
- 500g bread flour (I sometimes use strong white all-purpose if I’m out—it’s a bit less elastic, but hey, life’s short)
- 325g water (luke-warm, but not hot—as my gran used to say, ‘just about bathwater temp’)
- 10g fine sea salt (table salt works, but if you’re feeling posh…)
- 2g instant yeast (I’ve used active dry in a pinch, just dissolve it in the water and let it sit ten minutes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, but I like the extra flavor and softness—it’s technically unauthentic and I add it anyway)
- Dusting flour for the counter (semolina is fancy, but regular flour also does the trick)
Alright, Let’s Do This—How to Make My Go-To Pizza Dough
- Mix it up: In a big bowl, toss in your flour, salt, and yeast. Give it a quick stir (I use my fingers, but a wooden spoon works if you’re not a fan of sticky hands). Add in the water and olive oil. Stir until everything just comes together—no need to overthink it. If it looks a mess at this stage, that’s totally fine.
- Knead or don’t: Okay, I go the lazy route—a 10-minute rest, then a light knead for maybe 2 minutes (just until it’s sort of smooth-ish). Sometimes, I just give it a few stretch and folds right in the bowl every 15 minutes, three times, when I remember. You want it tacky, not gluey. Bit of a Goldilocks situation.
- First rise: Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or cling film. Leave it at room temp for 2-ish hours, until doubled. On days when I forget about it, it’s gone a bit wild and, honestly, still works.
- Cold ferment: Here’s the magic: pop it in the fridge overnight (up to 72 hours if you forget—I usually do). The dough gets all flavor-packed and bubbly; sometimes I sneak a look at it, just for fun.
- Shape it: Plop the dough onto a floured counter. Divide into 2-3 balls (or one big one; I won’t tell). Cover and let them chill for another hour. By this point, the anticipation might just get to you.
- Ready, set, stretch: Take a ball and gently shape it into a pizza—whatever style you’re feeling. I use my fingertips and let gravity help. Don’t use a rolling pin unless you really must—flattens those precious bubbles.
- Toppings and bake: Sling toppings on (less is more, sometimes I go overboard). Get your oven blazing hot—like, as hot as it goes; preheat a pizza stone if you’ve got one (or a baking tray upside down, trick of the trade). Bake for 6-10 minutes, till the crust is bronzed and the cheese threatens to break free. This is where I usually burn my tongue, every time.
Things I’ve Learned (the “oops” discoveries)
- If your dough is way too sticky, grab a little extra flour but don’t get carried away; I ruined a batch making it more like biscuit dough.
- Forgot the salt once—would not recommend. The crust tasted like sadness.
- Kneading with wet hands actually stops sticking better than flour sometimes. Or at least, I think so.
Experiments and (Slight) Fails
- Once swapped some flour for whole wheat; turned out hearty but a tad dense. Not bad, just different.
- Tried a sourdough starter version—it was tangy heaven but took three days and my patience barely lasted.
- Gluten-free attempt: Well…let’s just say the family still brings it up (not fondly).
What If You Don’t Have Fancy Pizza Tools?
Honestly, half the time I just use a regular old baking sheet flipped upside down. Pizza peel? I once substituted a flattened cardboard box lined with parchment, and it mostly worked. No pizza stone? A heavy cast-iron pan gets things lovely and crisp—in my humble opinion, maybe even better. My mate Joe uses a grill outside, rain or shine. Madman.
How to Store (or Honestly, Just Eat It All)
So, you actually have leftovers? Wow. I stick slices in a zip bag in the fridge, lasts a couple days (though honestly, never more than one around here). Reheat in a hot pan, not the microwave, unless you like your crust to taste like a wet sponge (harsh, but true).
Serving It Up
We do this DIY pizza night style—everyone slaps on what they like. I’m big on anchovies to freak out the kids, and there’s a friendly fight over who gets the bubbliest slice. Cold pizza for breakfast? Absolutely. Sometimes I think it’s even tastier the morning after, like weird pizza magic.
What I’ve Totally Had to Learn the Hard Way
- Don’t rush the cold proof, seriously. I did once—it looked done, but the crust was kind of blah. (Lesson learned, patience!)
- Topping overload is real. That midsection turns to soup if you’re not careful. I still can’t quite resist though.
- Letting the dough warm up before stretching? Makes life a lot easier. Cold dough will tear and fight you—trust me, I still get impatient sometimes.
Frequently Asked Pizza Questions (Real Ones!)
- “Can I freeze this dough?” Totally. I throw the balls in individual freezer bags after the cold ferment. Later, just thaw overnight in the fridge—tastes almost exactly the same.
- “How do I stop my pizza from sticking?” Good question! Dust your peel (or whatever you use) with flour or semolina. If you forget, just accept that it might come out a bit ‘rustic’—that’s what I call it anyway.
- “Why does my dough keep tearing?” Usually means it was too cold or a bit dry. Next time, let it rest longer and use less flour when shaping—it’ll be stretchier. (Actually, now that I think about it, sometimes it’s just me rushing.)
- “Do I really need bread flour?” You’ll get the best bubbles, but plain flour does work. Just expect a little less chew, and maybe a different sort of satisfaction.
- “Is this as good as restaurant pizza?” Honestly? Some days it’s even better, because you made it with your own two hands. Plus, you control the cheese situation. Go wild.
So, next time you’re itching for that crispy, chewy, bubbly crust, give this a go. Worst case, you get flour everywhere and a decent story to tell. And maybe a slightly misshapen but delicious pizza along the way.
Ingredients
- 500g bread flour (about 4 cups)
- 370ml water, lukewarm (1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp)
- 10g fine sea salt (2 tsp)
- 2g instant dry yeast (1/2 tsp)
- 10ml olive oil (2 tsp)
- 1 tsp sugar
- extra flour for dusting
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir gently to distribute the dry ingredients.
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2Pour in the lukewarm water and olive oil. Mix using your hands or a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
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3Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 12-16 hours until doubled and bubbly.
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4Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into two equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball, cover, and let rest for 1 hour before baking.
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5Preheat your oven and pizza stone to the highest temperature (450-500°F, 230-260°C) for at least 30 minutes. Stretch one dough ball into a circle, add toppings, and bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is crispy and bubbly.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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