I love Jim Lahey's crust because it's thin, crispy, and so very reliable. I can't ever remember a night where it didn't work. When we're feeling healthy, we replace the white flour with whole wheat flour-if you want to be sneaky about it with the kids, you can start by just replacing half with whole wheat flour. We usually use one ball of dough for one dinner and then freeze the extra for another dinner later. To thaw, remove from freezer about two to three hours before using and work it with your hands if it's still stiff.
Recipe information
Total Time
2 hours 5 minutes (includes 2-hour hands-off rise time)
Yield
Makes two 16-ounce balls of dough; each ball of dough makes 1 cookie-sheet-size pizza
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the water, and using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until blended, at least 30 seconds.
Step 2
The dough will be stiff, not wet and sticky. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature until the dough has more than doubled in volume, about 2 hours. Divide the dough in two and shape each section into flattened balls. If you are only making one pizza, freeze the other ball in a freezer storage bag. If you rub a little olive oil on your fingers and on the ball of dough before bagging, it will be less sticky to negotiate.
