Pizza or Calzone Dough
This recipe yields two large pizza or four large calzone (calzone = pizza sandwich).
2 packages active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups hot tap water (110 to 115 °F)
2 tablespoons honey
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1. Dissolve the yeast in a little extra (4 tbsp.) of warm water. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix 3 cups of flour with the salt and oil.
3. Add the yeast to the flour mixture and mix well.
4. In a medium bowl mix the hot water with the honey.
5. Add the hot water to the flour mixture and mix well.
6. Add 1 to 1-1/2 cups of flour and mix until dough forms a soft sticky mass and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
7. Flour the work surface and your hands and turn the dough out of the bowl.
8. Continue kneading in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic (6 to 10 minutes).
9. Place the dough in a greased bowl; turn to grease top.
10. Cover with a semi-wet hand towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until double in size.
11. Punch dough down; divide into 2 equal pieces for pizza and into 4 equal pieces for calzone and shape into round balls. Let dough rest for 4 minutes.
12. Roll out or stretch to appropriate size. Spray pizza pan lightly with no-stick vegetable cooking spray and wipe off excess. Place on pizza pan; let rise for 10 to 15 minutes.
13. Assemble pizza or calzone with all your favorites ingredients.
14. Place on bottom and upper rack in cold oven. turn oven on to 500 °F. Bakes for 20 minutes then change pizzas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more or until golden and bubbly.
Note: For a crispier crust, make pizza or calzone a head of time. Then bake again at 450 °F pre-heated oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Then enjoy!
* Cheese mixture: Use and equal amount of block mozzarella and Monterey jack cheese. If you like add a little provolone cheese or cheddar cheese. This combination is superb!
