Homemade Chipotle Pepper Pizza Dough

It's National Pizza Day and the best way to celebrate is with a homemade pizza pie! Better yet we added in a fun valentines day twist with heart shaped dough and pepperonis but you can shape it and top it however you'd like. Our Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil gives this crust a robust and fragrant flavor and our Chipotle Pepper Extract provides a hint of spice to keep you coming back for another slice. This recipe yields two pizzas but can be cut in half for just one. 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 2.5 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 cup filtered water + 2 tbsp. set aside if needed
• 3 cups 00 finely ground flour (you can substitute for all purpose or whole wheat but you will have the best results with 00 flour)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 tbsp. Amoretti® Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil or pure olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. Amoretti® Chipotle Pepper Extract Water Soluble
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Toppings of choice

Directions

1. Heat 1 cup of water to 110 - 115 F (do not over heat your water or your yeast will not activate)
2. Dissolve sugar in water and then mix in your yeast. Let yeast activate for about 10 min. 
3. In a food processer or stand mixer (both with dough attachment) add your flour, salt, and garlic powder. If using a food processor gently pulse a few times to mix. If using a stand mixer gently whisk to mix.
4. Add in your water with yeast, olive oil, and chipotle extract. Mix until a dough ball forms. If dough seems too dry add water 1/2 - 1 tbsp. at a time. Dough will be slightly sticky when finished.
5. Flour a work surface and your hands and knead dough for a few minutes. Fold into a dough ball.
6. Oil a large bowl and place dough inside. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
7. Once your dough has risen cut in half and form two dough balls. Place dough into oiled bowls, roll to coat and cover again. 
8. Let rise again for 1 hour.
9. Preheat oven to 500 F
10. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. 
11. Prepare your toppings and set them aside, but close to your skillet because you will be topping your pizza quickly.
12. Flour a work surface and press out your dough into an even circle OR cut into a heart shape for a festive valentines pizza.
13. Carefully place your dough into the cast iron skillet and use a fork to dock the middle leaving about 1/2 - 1" for crust. (this is just poking holes into the dough to prevent bubbles from forming while baking)
14. Quickly sauce, cheese and top your pizza.
15. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden.
16. Let cool before slicing and serving.