Makes two 12"-14" medium-thick crusts, or three smaller ones.
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup cold milk
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
In a medium size bowl, stir to dissolve yeast and brown sugar in warm water; let stand for about five minutes.
Stir in cold milk, salt and olive oil.
One cup at a time, add 3 cups of flour, mixing each time until flour is thoroughly incorporated.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, adding small amounts of flour to keep the dough manageable.
Lightly oil the surface of the dough and place in a medium size clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise in cool place for two hours before use, or in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Variations
Cornmeal crust
Substitute a half cup of stone-ground cornmeal for a half cup of the all-purpose flour. The resulting dough will be heartier and have a little more crunch to it.
Whole wheat crust
Substitute a cup of whole wheat flour for one of the first cups of flour in the initial mixing.
Be sure to allow for the five minute rest from kneading-the whole wheat flour absorbs water more slowly but also more thoroughly, so you'll use less of the remaining flour than usual.
Onion crust
Add a quarter cup of fresh minced onions to the dough after the second cup of flour. Try this crust with cheese pizzas or pies using seafood toppings.
Notes
-American-style pizza dough uses oil, sugar and milk to enrich the crust, making it denser and promoting more browning. It's very similar to bread dough in texture and appearance.
- Bread flour has more protein in it than all-purpose, so the longer you knead this dough, the chewier the crust will be after baking.
