Quick 'n Yummy Pizza Dough

This a quick (just over 30 minutes) and easy pizza dough recipe that is so versatile.  The original recipe is taken from the Kitchenaid Pizza Dough recipe.  I shortened it and threw in some sugar.  (I wanted to feed the yeast.)  If you don't have a stand mixer of sorts, you can do the mixing by hand... the good ole fashioned way.  It will be just as good, just takes a bit of muscle.

Quick 'n Yummy Pizza Dough

Servings: 6 • Calories: 251 • Fat: 2.5g • Carbs: 49g • Fiber: 2g • WW Points:5

  Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 3 cups)
  
  

Dissolve yeast in warm water in medium sized bowl.  Stir in sugar.  Set aside.

Add salt, 2 tsp olive oil, and flour to your mixer's bowl.  Attach dough hook, pour dissolved yeast and sugar water in to bowl.  Turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute.  Scrape down sides of bowl and turn mixer to speed 2 for 2 minutes.  The dough should cling to the dough hook and clean the sides of the bowl.  (If this does not happen, you may need to add more flour.)

Pour 1/2 tsp olive oil in a large oven safe bowl.  Evenly coat the bowl.  Place the dough in the greased bowl, turning to grease the top.  Turn you oven on to 350 for 1 minute and turn it off.  I set the timer so I don't over do it.  You do not want to cook the pizza dough, just put it in a warmed oven. 

Cover the dough (I used a clean dish towel) and place in the warmed oven for 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in bulk.  Punch down dough. Makes two 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 1 thick and puffy 14 inch pizza.  Top with your favorite toppings and bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.  Get creative here, the sky's the limit! :D  The other night I used some marina sauce I had on hand, some part skim mozzarella, and topped it with fresh basil when it came out the oven. MMMMmmmm!