Pizza Dough - Bread

Basic Italian bread and pizza dough easy as one two three.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 4-5 pizzas

Ingredients

• First step starter

• 3  cups  very warm water
• 1⁄2 cup powdered milk
• 2  tablespoons dry active yeast
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  imitation butter, flavor powder
• 2  tablespoons canola oil
• 1  cup flour

• Second step dough

• 5  additional cups flour

• Third step kneading

• 1  cup flour, piled on mixing surface

Directions

1. First step, starter:
2. Combine and mix the starter ingredients in a large mixing bowl and place in a warm environment until foamy. Approximately 25 minutes.
3. Second step, dough:
4. Mix in the additional 5 cups of flour to yield a very sticky dough.
5. Third step, kneading:
6. Note: As flour readily compresses, it’s never to be assumed a precise cup measurement. In the case of pizza dough, perfect consistency is achieved when the thoroughly kneaded dough still tries very hard to stick to the bare hands and clean kneading surface (I recommend a glass stovetop), but can’t quite stick. That consistency, above any measurement, is key.
7. Spread 1/2 the final cup of flour onto a smooth mixing surface and using a pliable plastic scraper, scrape clean the entire contents of the mixing bowl onto the pile.
8. Place other 1/2 cup of flour on top.
9. Flour hands and begin completely kneading in the additional flour, first a lot, then a little at a time. Correct consistency typically requires most of the flour, occasionally all, and very rarely a tablespoon more.
10. Oil the dough ball and place in a sealed one gallon plastic container or plastic grocery bag and allow it to rise in a warm environment until doubled in size. (approximately 1 hour).
11. Knead the dough once more into its original size ball and place back into the sealed container before refrigerating or using.
12. The recipe yields four to five 14” - 16” pizzas.