HOMEMADE CHICAGO THIN CRUST PIZZA DOUGH

Homemade Chicago Thin Crust Pizza Dough image

Provided by Papagayita

Time 2h10m

Yield 8-10 medium pizzas, 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

7 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups warm water
4 teaspoons yeast
12 ounces beer (warm or warm water)
8 -10 garlic cloves, very finely minced (optional)
cornmeal, for rolling out (or polenta)

Steps:

Mix yeast with warm water and salt and stir.
Combine wet ingredients (water with yeast, oil, beer/water) with garlic or basil and Parmesan cheese if using.
Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well until dough pulls together.
Knead until dough is silky smooth, adding flour until it does not stick to your hands. You want the dough to be moist and pliable but not too sticky.
Let dough rise until nearly doubled in size and punch down. Ideally do this several times to increase the pliability of the dough and flavor of the crust.
When you are ready to make pizzas, preheat the oven to 500 (550 ideally if possible) with baking stone on bottom rack (any floor tile will do well).
Punch down the dough and pull off a piece of dough about the size of your fist. Sprinkle the area you will roll out the dough with cornmeal and a small amount of flour and roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. If you have the skills for it--toss the dough in the air.
Prick holes in the pizza with a fork all over.
Add toppings and slide into oven, making sure pizza peel (back of a cookie sheet will work) is very well covered in cornmeal so the pizza will easily slide off onto the baking stone.
Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is bubbling and edges are crispy.