RUSTIC ITALIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Rustic Italian Pizza Dough image

This flavorful dough recipe is a delicious change from ordinary pizza. It puts a nice spin on this Italian inspired crust!

Provided by Francine Lizotte

Categories Pizza

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
1 c warm water (between 105ºf to 110ºf)
1 Tbsp honey
2 1/2 c bread flour (reserved 1/2 cup)
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground marjoram
1/2 tsp ground himalayan sea salt
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
unbleached all-purpose flour for work surface, as needed
1 tsp olive oil

Steps:

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, warm water and honey; stir and proof yeast for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine flour, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, marjoram and sea salt; whisk until well blended.
2. Pour in sun-dried tomato oil to yeast mixture before adding 2 cups of flour mixture. With the dough hook attachment, process on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Scrape sides of the bowl using a spatula. Process again on speed 3, adding a tbsp. of reserved flour at a time, until dough forms a ball around the hook and releases from the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to 4 and knead 4 minutes.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and with floured hands pull dough under to form a ball. Transfer to a large lightly greased bowl, gently tossing around to coat dough with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place bowl in a draft-free spot; let rise for 1 hour.
4. After 60 minutes, punch down dough and pull it under, forming a ball. Place it back in the bowl, cover and return to its draft-free spot for a second rise of an hour.
5. Punch again to deflate it and place it on a lightly floured work surface; knead dough for a couple minutes. Form a ball and separate evenly in two pieces. Take each piece and pull dough under to form a ball. Flour the work surface again as well as the rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a 14-inch diameter starting from the center out to the edges. Transfer each pizza crust onto a separate pizza pan lightly dusted with corn meal. Proceed with your pizza recipe
6. To view this recipe on YouTube, click on this link >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_EVoAGYJrw