Basic Pizza Dough

Next up on the big green egg - pizza.  Hubby doesn't prefer store purchased dough, so we make it.  The basis of the following recipe came from Paula Deen on the Food Network.  Once ready, we topped the first one with grilled pineapple, grilled peppers and proscuitto.  The second was topped with sopressata and pineapple.

  1 3/4 Cup warm water                                                             4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour

  2 1/4 Tsp Yeast                                                                        3 Tbl olive oil, plus more for bowl

  2 Tsp salt                                                                                 Cornmeal, for pan

  1 Tbl Italian Seasoning.

Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.

Measure out 1 3/4 cups warm water (it should be pleasantly warm on your wrist). Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and allow it to activate, about 10 minutes.

Put the salt and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. 

Pulse 2 times to blend. 

Add Italian Seasoning, pulse 5 times.  Pour in the yeast and water and pulse 5 times. 

Add the olive oil. 

Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, pulsing and scraping the sides of the bowl until well blended. 

As soon as the mixture is combined, dump it out onto a well-floured board and knead for 15 turns, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. 

Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size, then punch it down. 

Divide it in half; each half will make 1 (12-inch)  pizza.

Place on a cornmeal-dusted pizza stone, pizza pan, or cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, remove and top as desired.  

Return to oven (or Egg) and bake until crust is finished and cheese is melted.