Homemade Pizza Dough with Bacon & Cheese Topping

Ingredients

• 650 ml Water (room temperature, about 20‑22°C)
• 4 g Active Dry Yeast (3‑5 g per kilogram of flour, dry yeast)
• 1 tablespoon Honey (feeds the yeast and adds slight caramel flavor)
• 1000 g Bread Flour (Manitoba or Tipo 00) (high‑protein flour for strong gluten network)
• 20 g Salt (2 % of flour weight)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (for coating dough before resting)
• 200 g Bacon (cut into small pieces, pre‑cooked or crisped before topping)
• 200 g Mozzarella Cheese (shredded, full‑fat for best melt)

Instructions

1. Activate Yeast

   Combine the room‑temperature water, active dry yeast, and honey in the large mixing bowl. Stir gently until the yeast dissolves.

   Time: PT5M

2. Add First Portion of Flour

   Sift 650 g of bread flour over the yeast mixture and stir until just combined. The mixture will be shaggy and wet.

   Time: PT5M

3. Autolyse Rest

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. This is the first fermentation.

   Time: PT1H

4. Incorporate Remaining Flour and Salt

   Gradually add the remaining 350 g flour and 20 g salt, sprinkling a little at a time while mixing with a dough scraper. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, begin kneading.

   Time: PT20M

5. Knead the Dough

   Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface or in the bowl for about 15 minutes, using the stretch‑and‑fold method until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the window‑pane test.

   Time: PT15M

6. First Bulk Fermentation

   Shape the dough into a tight ball, coat it with a thin layer of olive oil, cover with foil, and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

   Time: PT1H

7. Divide and Shape Balls

   Flour your hands and work surface, then divide the dough into four 250 g portions. Shape each portion into a tight ball by pulling the surface toward the center and sealing the seam.

   Time: PT15M

8. Cold/Room‑Temperature Proof

   Coat each ball lightly with olive oil, wrap individually in foil, and let them rest for 5 hours (or up to 6 hours) at room temperature until they have roughly doubled in size.

   Time: PT5H

9. Preheat Oven and Stone

   Place the pizza stone on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 300 °C (or the highest temperature your oven allows) for 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: 300°C

10. Stretch the Dough

    On a well‑floured surface, gently press each ball into a 12‑inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge. Avoid pressing out all the air bubbles.

    Time: PT5M

11. Add Toppings

    Scatter cooked bacon pieces and shredded mozzarella evenly over the stretched dough. (Add a thin layer of tomato sauce if desired.)

    Time: PT5M

12. Bake the Pizza

    Slide the pizza (on parchment paper) onto the preheated stone and bake for 4‑5 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 300°C

13. Finish and Serve

    Remove the pizza with a peel, let it rest for 2 minutes, slice, and serve hot.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

800

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

90 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

4 g