Sicilian-style Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the water into a medium-sized mixing bowl and sprinkle in the
yeast. Stir gently with a fork until the yeast has dissolved and the
liquid turns light beige in color. Add 2 cups of the flour, the olive
oil, and the salt. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add a third  cup
of flour to the bowl and mix well. After the third cup of flour  has
been mixed in, the dough should start coming away from the sides  of
the bowl and should begin to form a soft,sticky mass. Measure out  the
fourth cup of flour. Sprinkle some over the work surface and  flour
your hands generously. Remove all of the dough from the bowl  and begin
to work the mass by kneading the additional flour in a bit  at a time.
To knead the dough, use the heel of your hands to push the  dough
across the floured work surface in one sweep. Clench the dough  in your
fist and twist and fold it over. Use the dough scraper to  help gather
the wet dough that sticks to the work surface into a ball  while
kneading. Repeat this action over and over again, adding only  as much
flour as it takes to keep the dough from sticking to your  hands.  Work
quickly and don't be delicate. Slap and push the dough  around to
develop its gluten and to facilitate its rolling out.  (Kneading pizza
dough is a great way to relieve pent-up aggression!)  When the dough no
longer feels sticky, push the heel of your hand  down into it and hold
it there for 10 seconds. This will test its  readiness;if your hand
comes up clean, the dough is done. If it  sticks, a bit more kneading
will be necessary. Once the dough is no  longer sticky, do not overwork
it by adding more flour. Continue  kneading only until the dough is
smooth and elastic (it should spring  back when pressed) and no lines
of raw white flour show.  The whole  process should take 5 to 10
minutes. Lightly oil a 2 quart bowl with  vegetable oil. Roll the ball
of dough around in the bowl to coat it  with a thin film of oil.
Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap to  trap in the moisture and
heat from the yeast's carbon dioxide gases.  This will help the dough
rise faster. Place the bowl in a warm,  draft-free place. Let the dough
rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Once the  dough has doubled in bulk, punch
it down by pushing your fist into  it. All of the gases will quickly
escape, and the dough will  collapse. Remove the dough from the bowl
and knead it again for about  1 minute. The dough is now ready to be
patted and rolled into pizza,  or to undergo additional rising. To
raise dough a second time, add a  bit more oil to the bowl and repeat
the procedure indicated for the  first rising.  Then the dough is ready
to be shaped.  Source: The Pizza Book by Evelyne Slomon Posted by Linda
Davis  File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/kids.zip

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
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Calories: 349
Calories From Fat: 164
Total Fat: 18.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 390.2mg
Potassium: 85mg
Carbohydrates: 39.7g
Fiber: 1.4g
Sugar: <1g
Protein: 5.5g