This is yet another try at an easy pizza dough that gives me the texture and flavor I’m after. I want the sour taste of sourdough, but I want it to be quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 grams) whole-milk greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups (548 grams) bread flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt

Directions

  1. In a 2-cup measuring cup, stir together 1 1/2 cups water, the yogurt, and olive oil.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed to combine.
  3. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the wet ingredients. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms, clearing the sides of the bowl (1-2 minutes).
  4. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Gather the dough into a ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Generously flour a work surface and a baking sheet. Using floured hands and a dough scraper, turn the dough out onto the work surface. Dust with flour, and divide the dough into four equal pieces.
  6. Shape each piece into a ball by cupping your hands around its base on an unfloured area of the work surface. Rotate the dough ball while pulling the dough toward you, creating surface tension. Repeat until the dough forms a uniform ball. Place the dough balls on the floured baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. Dust the tops with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until increased by about 50%, about 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 550°F with a steel baking sheet or pizza stone. Shape the dough into 10-12 inch rounds. Place onto a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Add desired toppings.
  8. Slide the pizza onto the preheated baking sheet or stone. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.