All Purpose Crust Recipes

THE BEST PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar; add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Let stand until bubbles form on surface. In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, salt, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and, if desired, dried herbs. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture and oil. Stir until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead, adding more flour to surface as needed until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes; transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill overnight. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before rolling.

PIZZA CRUST (ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR OR SPELT FLOUR)

Steps:

• Set aside 1 cup of flour from total amount.
• Mix 1 1/2 cup flour, yeast and salt.
• Put oil in hot water.
• Add water and oil to flour mixture.
• Stir well.
• Add extra cup of flour.
• Knead. Pay attention to the consistency of the dough. Sometimes with Spelt flour you need to add a bit extra to get the doughy consistency you need.
• Let rest for 10 minutes.
• Press into greased pizza pan.
• Top with favorite pizza toppings.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Enjoy!

ALL-PURPOSE CRUST

Steps:

• Add 2 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoons sliced almonds pulsed in a food processor until finely ground.
• Replace sugar with 1 tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes.
• Add 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
• In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients until combined. Add butter and shortening; pulse until texture is rough and largest pieces of shortening are the size of peas, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse to combine. Pinch dough; if it doesn't hold together, mix in remaining 1 tablespoon water. Form dough into a round; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 days. dust a piece of waxed paper with flour; roll out dough to form a 12" circle. lay dough in 9" pie pan, waxed paper side up. gently remove paper, then press dough into pan. trim edge of crust so there is 1 inch of overhang remaining. Fold over edge; pinch crust at 1/2-inch intervals to form a crimped edge. Add pie filling when indicated.

ALL-PURPOSE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until dissolved and slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and add the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust the dough with flour and knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until very smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough into two 1-pound balls. (If making sheet-pan pizza, let the dough rise, covered, on an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet coated with 3 tablespoons olive oil instead of in a bowl; do not divide into two balls.)
• If not using the dough right away, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.

BEST ALL-PURPOSE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• To make by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, if using, in a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a knife, pastry cutter, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water onto the crumbly dough and, with your hands, push the dough from the sides to the middle of the bowl to form a ball that holds together. Transfer to a work surface. Cut the dough in half, place half on top of the other, and press down. Repeat the cutting and pressing steps three or four times until all of the water is incorporated into the dough and it clings together.
• On a floured surface, gently flatten the ball of dough with a rolling pin. Starting from the center, roll the dough into a circle about an inch larger than the diameter of the pie pan. Lift the dough into the pan. Fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork.
• To make in a food processor, cut the butter into 1inch pieces and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Add the flour, salt, and sugar. Process until all of the ingredients are incorporated. With the processor on, add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to clump but is still crumbly. Continue to drizzle a little water and pulse the food processor, stopping to test the dough with your fingertips to see if it is moist enough to hold together.
• When you can gather the dough into a ball, remove it from the processor, place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll out and fit into the pan as above.