Improved Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1½ cup warm water (warm water activates the yeast)
• 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 x 8 oz package active dry yeast
• ½ cup semolina flour, more for dusting
• ½ cup oat bran (if you do not have this you may use semolina)
• 3 cups 00 flour (if your cannot find it, all-purpose flour will do)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon plus extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water and honey (or maple syrup). Now sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to activate and become foamy. This will take about 5 mins.
2. Now in a large bowl, add the flours, oat bran, and salt, stir to combine. Add the yeast mixture and 1 tbsp of the olive oil to the flour bowl, use a wooded spoon or your hand to combine it all together.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough using your hand for about 4 minutes. Knead it into a smooth ball and place it into a large bowl. (If the dough is too dry to form a ball, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough smoothes together. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour)
4. Using the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil, brush it onto a large bowl. Place the dough ball into the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and set aside. Allow it to sit for 1 hour or more until the dough doubles in size.
5. Once the dough is ready, punch it down and transfer the dough to a lightly semolina floured surface, cut the dough in half (or thirds for thin crust pizza).
6. Preheat the oven to 420 F (if using a pizza stone, warm it in the oven as it is heating up).
7. Using your hands, stretch the dough out the fit the pizza stone or pan of choice (I use a pizza stone or 14-inch pizza pan).
8. Top the pizza as desired and bake until the pizza is golden brown and the cheese bubbles, about 16-18 minutes. Cut and serve hot! Enjoy!

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