Ingredients
150 ml water, at room temperature
7 g sachet (1 tsp) active dried yeast
½ tsp caster sugar
1¾ cups (260 g) strong plain "00" flour
1½ tsp sea-salt flakes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Extra strong plain flour, to dust
Extra 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Put water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl.
- Stir with a fork to combine.
- Set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy.
- Put flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Pour oil and yeast mixture into flour.
- Beat on low, using dough hook attachment, for 1 minute or until just combined.
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic but still slightly sticky.
- Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the centre, then pour in oil and yeast mixture.
- Using your hands, combine into a dough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with the heel of your hand for 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic but still slightly sticky.
- Grease a large bowl with extra olive oil.
- Using lightly greased hands, put dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
- Remove plastic wrap from bowl and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Punch dough with lightly floured hands to expel air, so the dough returns to its original size. The dough will still be slightly sticky.
- Divide dough into 2 equal portions (if you like super-thin crusts, you can choose to divide the dough into 3 rather than 2 portions).
- Roll each portion into a ball. Set aside at least 20cm apart, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for 15 minutes or until doubled in size again.
