Pizza Dough Recipe (makes 2 medium pizzas)

  • 300g (2 cups) strong bread flour or plain flour
  • 7g (1 sachet) instant dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 180ml (3/4 cup) warm water — should feel comfortable on your wrist, not hot
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  1. 1

    Mix all ingredients together

    Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in warm water and olive oil. Mix with a spoon or your hand until a rough dough forms.

  2. 2

    Knead for 8 minutes

    Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand, folding it back, rotating and repeating. After 8 minutes the dough should be smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time.

  3. 3

    Rest for 45–60 minutes

    Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or cling film, and leave in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes until roughly doubled in size.

  4. 4

    Divide, stretch and top

    Preheat oven to its maximum temperature (250°C or higher) with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray inside. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll each ball into a thin round — push from the centre outward, stretching gently rather than rolling if possible for a better crust texture. Transfer to baking paper. Add sauce and toppings.

  5. 5

    Bake 10–12 minutes until the crust is golden

    Slide the pizza (on the baking paper) onto the preheated stone or tray. Bake until the crust is golden and blistered and the cheese is melted and bubbling. The hotter the oven and the more preheated the surface, the better the base.

For even better dough — cold prove overnightAfter kneading, place the dough (divided into balls) in an oiled container and refrigerate overnight rather than proving at room temperature. Cold slow proving develops significantly more flavour. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before shaping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — after the first prove, divide into individual pizza-sized balls and freeze in zip-lock bags with a little oil. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 2–3 hours before using. Frozen dough keeps for 3 months and is almost indistinguishable from fresh.
The gluten is too tight — rest the dough for 10–15 minutes and try again. Gluten relaxes when rested and the dough stretches easily. Forcing it when it is tight tears the dough rather than stretching it. Patience is the answer — let gravity do some of the work by draping the dough over your hands.