KitchenNippon

≪Ingredients≫
Bread flour 300g
Yeast solution: 170cc
（Adjust depending on the condition of the flour, humidity, etc.）
Salt: 1tsp
Olive oil 1tbsp (Using less oil will result in a more chewy crust)

≪How to Make≫

(1) Mix the yeast solution well.

(2) Combine everything. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is about as soft as your earlobe. If the dough becomes too stiff while kneading, it’s OK to add some of the yeast solution. When you finish kneading, form the dough into a round shape.

※ If you use a baking machine for kneading, set it to knead for 5 minutes. Then knead for an additional 3 minutes by hand. If you use a food processor, knead for 1 minute.

(3) Let the dough rise to 2-3 times its original size. Do not let the surface become dry. At a room temperature of around 24℃ (75℉), the dough will require a few hours to rise. ＜First rising＞

When the dough begins to dry out, cover it with a damp cloth.

A finger test will tell you when the first rising is finished. Put some flour on your index finger, plunge your finger into the middle of the dough and pull it out. If the hole you make does not close up, the dough is finished rising.

During winter, when room temperatures may be lower than 24℃ (75℉), the first rising could take up to 24 hours. During summer, with a room temperature of around 30℃ (86℉), the first rising could finish in as little as 2-3 hours. Managing the first rising at warmer temperatures, therefore, requires greater attention.

(4) Once the first rising is finished, press the dough out with the palm of your hand to let the gas out. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and make each into a ball. Set these aside for about 20 minutes.

(5) Use your fingers to flatten each ball into a more or less round shape. Do this by pressing from the middle outward, stopping a couple centimeters before reaching the edge. The idea here is to press the gas in the dough to the outer edge. Do this until you have 2-3 millimeters of thickness for the inner part of the round, then transfer to a sheet of baking paper. Please note that there are other methods for shaping the pizza dough and various opinions on what works best.

(6) Preheat an oven to 200-240℃. Add toppings to the pizza dough. Once the oven is up to temperature, you can begin baking. Your pizza should be done in about 10 minutes. Baking time will differ depending on the oven. Keep an eye on the pizza as it’s baking to ensure best results.

Recipe Developed by:Kaoru Shibata