I still buy the kids pizza from Little Caesar’s every Saturday, but I won’t eat it. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy and inconsistent to keep a sourdough starter alive (even though I only have to deal with it every 3 months or so) or plan and start pizza crust dough for myself 18 hours in advance. So, this is my attempt to get a decent tasting crust in under 2 hours without a starter.

Ingredients (for 2 crusts)

  • 16 ounces plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Small Batch (for 1 crust)

  • 8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Warm yogurt in a microwave-safe bowl until lukewarm, about 30 seconds.
  2. In stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, oil, salt, and half of flour. Beat until smooth.
  3. Using dough hook, gradually add remaining flour, mixing until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  4. Place dough in a bowl greased with olive oil, turning over once to coat dough in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to maximum heat. Punch down dough, and divide as needed. Dust each portion with flour and stretch to desired size. Place on pizza pan or peel. Let rest a few minutes.
  6. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings as desired.
  7. Bake until bottom is crisp and shows dark brown spots. Remove to cooling rack until cool enough to cut.