Quick No-Measure Pizza Crust Recipe

Do you have one of thoses 200+ dollar mixers with the dough hook and attachments, but only use it like 3 times a year because everything just takes... so... long... to... make?  Why not try making this rustic no-measure pizza crust.  It doesn't have to rise before baking, and only needs to rest for a few minutes (just long enough to cut and prep your toppings) so dinner can be on the table quick.  Because you don't actually measure the ingredients, but go by the texture, you can also make as much or as little as you need with ease.

Begin by putting warm water and yeast in the bottom of the mixer bowl.  I don't let the yeast sit like other people do, but do make sure it has dissolved well.  To make four small pizzas, I used about two cups of warm water and 1 tsp of yeast.  You can also add a splash of oil to make the dough have a better texture, but it is optional.

I prefer to buy the jars of yeast because they are a better value, especially if stored in the refrigerator.  A good rule of thumb on how much to use for the pizza crust is 1/2 tsp per cup of water, so you can make as much or as little as you want.

Grease the top of the dough hook well so that the bread does not climb up where it won't get kneaded and get stuck in the attachment point.

Begin adding flour a half cup at a time, allowing it to knead well between additions, especially as it nears the right consistency.  It is important not to add to much flour too soon because the dough will continue to stiffen as it kneads.  I recommend using a good bread flour, but in a pinch any all-purpose flour works too.  If you don't like keeping two separate flours around, you can also keep wheat gluten to add to all purpose flour on an as needed basis.

You will know the dough is the right consistency when it is still very soft but would rather stick to itself than the sides of the bowl.  Again, knead knead knead.  I recommend using only the lowest settings because you can burn out the motor on your mixer, and because it the dough will climb the hook and not get kneaded well.

Oil a bowl and set the dough down in it.  Flip the dough over so all sides are coated and will not stick.

While the dough rests, coat a pan with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.  I prefer to have two pans going so that one is always in the oven while the next pizza gets prepared.  Be sure to use a flat sided cookie sheet or pizza paddle if you plan on using a pizza stone, and omit the oil but use plenty of cornmeal.

This is also a good time to prep all of your pizza toppings, and have them ready to go on top.  This is a good time to encourage kids by having lots of veggies ready so they can make their own pizza.  It has been my experience that kids are far more likely to enjoy new things when they get to try them on something they already like or are able to play with them creatively.

If you kneaded the dough well, it should be soft and elastic, with a smooth shiny surface from the oil.  The bumps on this dough are just air bubbles, which are not a problem.

Divide the dough into the number of pizzas you wish to make.  Notice that it takes very little dough for each pizza.  I prefer a crust that is rolled very thin so that is cooks more crisp.  The yeast will make it rise up and get thicker.

Begin stretching the dough and working it into a flat disk shape.  Mine never turn out like the ones from a pizzeria, but are a very rustic shape.  They are still just as delicious, though, so don't get hung up on making them perfect.

Put the crust into the pizza pan, and stretch it out a little farther.  The cornmeal will prevent the pizza from sticking.

Chose a good quality sauce (in this case some I canned up myself from fresh tomatoes) and begin to build your pizzas.

My favorite is bacon, spinach, and onion.  It also works very well with alfredo and chicken pieces, but with good sauce open anyway, I decided to mix things up.  The one below is a simple cheese pizza.

To bake the pizzas, heat your oven to a fairly high heat.  I usually try for 450 or 475if your oven will do it without burning everything inside.  If you are using a pizza stone it is best to preheat the stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes, then carefully sliding the pizza out onto the hot stone baking until cheese is bubbly and brown.  If using a metal pan, I recommend cooking the pizza until the crust is just cooked and the cheese just melts, then removing it from the pan directly to the rack to finish for a nice golden, crisp crust.

Don't use a timer to judge the doneness of the pizza, but instead look at the brown-ness of the cheese and crispness of the crust.  Since each pizza will have a slightly different thickness of crust and will vary with the amount and wetness of toppings, using a timer just won't do.  Frozen pizzas are carefully constructed to be exactly the same, but not so for our delicious home baked ones.