Pizza Crust

I've been using this pizza crust recipe for a while, when we make homemade pizza. I like it's ease of use--your bread machine does most of the work for you, and it behaves nicely when you spread it out on the pan. If you'd like a way to make your own pizza at home, this is a great foundation on which to build your masterpiece!

Bread Machine Pizza Crust

Recipe by Eileen Rhoadarmer - 2nd Generation Allergy Mom

An easy way to make great-tasting pizza right at home! Contains wheat. Free from other major allergens!

Prep time: 1 hour 30 min (most of it passive)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 45 min to 2 hours
Ingredients

• 1 cup and 2 Tbsp warm (120 degrees) water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp rapid rise yeast (bread machine yeast)

Cooking Directions

1. Place ingredients in the above order in your bread machine. (It is particularly important to follow ingredient order if you will be setting the timer on your bread machine. Yeast should be the last ingredient added, sitting on top of the flour, not touching any liquid ingredients or salt as those will prematurely activate the yeast. Ingredient order does not matter as much if you're starting it right away.)
2. Select your bread machine's dough cycle and start it. (Note: if you will be delaying it, use hotter water as it will lose heat sitting on the counter. If you delay for a long time, the yeast may not activate as fully.)
3. Once the dough cycle is done, the dough should have risen to about double its original size. Punch it down, remove it from the bread machine, and transfer to a pizza pan. You can grease your pan or dust it with cornmeal, if you like.
4. Stretch and roll the dough out until it covers the pizza pan evenly.
5. Prebake your crust at 400-450 degrees for about half of your pizza's total bake time--usually around 6-8 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, top with your choice of sauce, cheese, and toppings, and then return to the over. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly all the way to the center.
7. Enjoy!

Ingredients.

I "preheated" my bread machine by filling it with super hot water and letting it sit for a few minutes before starting this recipe. I also used water that was too hot for the yeast, because I was preparing it before picking my kids up from school, and I wanted the dough to be waiting for me when I got home and was ready to make dinner. I don't know the exact temperatures, but it worked out just fine!

When using the timer to delay the making of bread or dough, add all the wet ingredients and the salt FIRST, then the flour and other dry ingredients. Then make a well in the center of the flour and fill it with the yeast. This keeps the yeast away from anything that could activate it until the bread machine starts mixing.

This device saves me so much time. I love it!

What will you top your pizza with this week?

Linking up at Allergy Free Wednesdays