Easy Pizza Dough

Host a family pizza night at home with this easy pizza dough recipe from Dan Pelosi. The perfect amount for one 12-inch pizza, the recipe is easily doubled or tripled as the guest list increases. A quick 30-minute rise time means you can have a finished pizza on the table in under an hour. But because this dough is so resilient, it can also be made up to 3 days in advance when stored in the fridge, ready to use.

1 cup warm water, about 105°F

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounces or 2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 cups all purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for kneading dough

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Place the water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and allow to sit until it becomes fragrant, with bubbles forming on the surface, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and salt, then stir to combine.

Dust a clean work surface and your hands with flour to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a sticky ball with your hands, then place on the work surface and knead for 5 minutes. Add flour as needed until the dough ball is smooth and not sticky.

Add the olive oil to a clean mixing bowl to coat the surface. Place the dough ball in the bowl and cover with a lid or dish towel. Place the covered bowl in a warm area and let sit until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use, for up to three days. Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.