Homemade Pizza Dough

Measure half of the Water (3/4 cup) in a small bowl and pour the Active Dry Yeast (1 tsp) into it. Let the yeast dissolve for 10 minutes. Mix yeast well into the water with a spoon.

While waiting for the yeast to dissolve, put Bread Flour (3 1/2 cups) and Salt (2 tsp) in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the dissolved yeast mixture and the other half of the Water (3/4 cup) into the mixing bowl of flour and salt. Stir briefly with a fork, just a few stirs is enough. If not using a mixer, mix the dough longer with a fork until the dough starts to come together.

Mix dough on low speed with a dough hook attachment on the mixer. Mix for at least 7 minutes and up to 10 minutes if still not combined well at the end. The dough should be a bit tacky but come off the dough hook easily.

Transfer to a clean surface to knead by hand for 7 minutes.

Cover the dough in the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down briefly until air bubbles are removed. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a well floured surface.

Divide dough into three equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and then stretch the top down from both sides and around to the bottom a few times.

On your floured surface, set the seam side down of each dough ball. Sprinkle each with some more flour and completely cover them with plastic wrap.

Let the dough balls rest for 1 hour for the final rise.

Form a dough ball into a disk on a well-floured surface. Stretch by hand pushing outward starting at the middle until round and about a 12-inch diameter pie.