Paula's Pizza Dough

If you're anything like me you search for recipes on a regular basis. You try something, hopefully you really enjoy it, think it's fantastic even, and then probably tuck it away and never (or very, very rarely) make it again - because there are just too many more recipes out there in the great wide world left to try!

That is what I have. Is there an official diagnosis for it? Can I call it recipe-itis? I seriously cannot help myself. I have several really good pizza dough recipes that are "go-to" for me, at least three that come to mind immediately (and I'm pretty sure there are at least that many, if not more, already shared and linked in my bread recipe index).  However, when it came time to make some mini pizzas for Lindsey's birthday party over the weekend guess what? I went to pinterest and searched for pizza dough. And then I opened the link to the recipe (linked below) and decided this was the one we would try out for that meal. Because I cannot help myself.

This is a fantastic recipe addition to the other pizza doughs in my "arsenal". The texture couldn't be better - pillowy soft but it baked up crisped and golden on the outside. Wonderful. The flavor is mild but not bland. A perfect canvas for your favorite pizza toppings.

For these handheld individual pizzas, I used a round biscuit cutter (fairly large in size) and then pressed each round out with my fingers to create the "crust" and filled with a variety of toppings. Some were Hawaiian, some BBQ turkey with sauteed onion, some pepperoni, some pepperoni and mushroom. Mix and match, and all very, very yummy. I made about 12 pizzas. My son ate at least half of them with lunch! Teenage boys have empty legs you know.

If you make this dough recipe, be aware the full batch makes 2 large pizzas, so don't double unless you want 4! I used about half the dough and put the other one in the freezer; we'll see how it does when I pull it back out to rise again. Fingers crossed it survives it's chilly holiday and rises again when we're ready to enjoy it! I don't know why I don't keep pizza dough in the freezer - this will be the first time I ever had; hopefully it will work well when I thaw it and then I might just make it a habit.

Paula's Pizza Dough from Paula Deen

Ingredients
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water, warmed

Directions

1. Combine the yeast (4 1/2 tsp if using bulk), sugar, warm water, and 1 TBS olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Combine until yeast dissolves then allow to rest until yeast proofs (it should appear bubbly), for about 5 minutes.
2. Attach dough hook and add in salt and flour, mix until dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (add more flour if necessary to achieve this consistency).
3. Drizzle dough ball with 1/2 TBS oil, flip (so the oil is touching the bottom of the bowl), and cover and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
4. Punch the dough down, knead a few times on a lightly floured surface,