Let’s first discuss the tips that will help you ROCK in making homemade pizza:

TYPE OF FLOUR: Let’s agree that we don’t have high quality pizza flour in Egypt! I found out that using all purpose flour only yields a very soft crust (for my taste) while using Egyptian pizza flour yields a dry crust! I learnt from my online research that mixing flours is possible so we are using a mixture of all purpose & pizza flour! Luckily, Gourmet Egypt just launched their 00 Italian pizza flour so if you were able to get, your pizza will be even better!

KNEADING: Whether you are kneading with a stand mixer or your hands, you have to knead until the dough is elastic, smooth & when you punch it with your hand, it will bounce back a bit.

YEAST: Make sure you are using good active yeast. I am using INSTANT YEAST that’s why it is added directly to the dry ingredients.

– BAKING: Pizza is always baked in a VERY HOT oven so you have to turn on the oven to maximum temperature 30 minutes before you bake your pizza.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour دقيق 
• 1 cup pizza flour دقيق بيتزا 
• 1 tsp INSTANT dry yeast خميرة فورية
• 1 tsp salt ملح
• 1 tbsp sugar سكر
• 2 tbsp olive oil زيت زيتون
• 3/4 cup warm water ماء دافىء

• olive oil for greasing زيت زيتون للدهن

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment, add all your ingredients. Start kneading on low speed until a dough forms. Keep kneading for 1 minute before deciding if the dough is dry & needs more water or sticky & needs more flour. After 1 minute, the dough is supposed to be perfect (not sticky & not dry) but because flour varies from one brand to the other, if u need to add more water or flour, add 1 tbsp at a time & give it a minute before deciding if you need more.
2. Increase the speed to medium high & knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be elastic, smooth, slightly sticky & bounces back a little if you punch it with your hand. 
3. Place the dough in a bowl brushed with olive oil & turn it in the bowl to get coated with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel then set aside in a warm place for 2 hours to let the dough rise & double in size. 
4. In the last 30 minutes of the rising time, turn on the oven to maximum temperature.
5. Grease a 35 cm baking tray (see notes) with little olive oil. Punch down your dough & invert it directly on the baking tray. Flatten the dough with your fingers (don’t use a rolling pin) starting from the middle towards the edges until it covers the whole tray. Make the edges slightly thicker like the above photo (optional). Brush the edges with olive oil.
6. Add your tomato sauce, cheese & toppings.
7. Place the tray on the lowest rack of the oven & bake for 7-10 minutes until the bottom of the crust is light golden & the cheese is melted. Broil until the edges become golden. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:

1. You can knead the dough by hand; just mix everything in a bowl until a dough forms. Invert your dough on a floured surface & knead for about 10 minutes adding flour when needed (not too much; just to prevent it from sticking to your hands) until you have a smooth elastic dough.
2. Local brands of pizza flour are available in large supermarkets. If you can get Gourmet 00 Pizza Flour, this will be better.
3. Instant yeast is added directly to the dry ingredients.
4. Using a 35 cm baking tray gives you a thin crust but if you like your pizza super thin, use a larger baking tray & if you like it thick, use a smaller one.
5. The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
6. TO FREEZE THE DOUGH: After the dough rises, punch it down & form into a ball. Wrap firmly with greased plastic wrap & freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the dough & bring to room temperature before working with it.
7. For Pizza Stone Owners: Flatten the dough on a floured surface; rotating it all the time to make sure it is not sticking then place it on the stone using a pizza peel.