Quick and Easy Foolproof Pizza Dough

I turned thirty today. July 4th, 1987 to July 4th, 2017, which is thirty years of being Jesse Ray Whitehawk in North Tulsa and on pipelines and in kitchens and on land that used to belong to my family before it belonged to everyone and now belongs to me in the only way it can, which is through knowledge and practice and memory.

We were at Terry's, same as always. Danny was in his lawn chair under the pecan tree. The oxygen tank was there. The button-down shirt was there — different button-down than last year, same commitment. Kai ran the backyard. Luna toddled behind him, arms out, certain she could keep up, eventually right. Hannah sat next to Danny for a long time in the afternoon and I watched them talk, two people who love the same man talking about things I could not hear from the grill.

I made the same thing I made last year: smoked ribs and fry bread, because Danny asked for it, because that is what thirty looks like if you are doing it right. Caleb came. Lily came, driving down from Tahlequah with a card that said "welcome to adulthood, finally" which I read and then put in my pocket because I wanted to keep it. Terry made posole with green chiles and Danny ate a full bowl and a half, which is the best he has eaten at a birthday in three years.

Danny said something at the end of the night that I want to write down before I lose it. He said: "Thirty is when you figure out what you actually are. Not what you thought you were. What you are." I asked what he thought I was. He looked at me for a moment — really looked, the way he does when he has been thinking about something for a long time. He said: "You are a man who feeds people. Same as my father. Same as his father. That is what we are." He did not say "that is enough." He did not need to. It is more than enough. It is the whole thing.

I am thirty years old. I am a man who feeds people. That is what I am going to keep being.

Danny ate a bowl and a half of posole and two pieces of fry bread and I watched him do it from across the yard like it was the best thing that happened all night, because it was. The fry bread is the thing people always ask me about—how I get it right, how I learned, whether there’s a trick. There is no trick. There is flour and water and salt and heat and hands that have done it enough times to know. This dough recipe is where I point people who want to start: it’s forgiving, it’s simple, and once you learn what dough is supposed to feel like in your hands, you can make anything from it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes rising) | Servings: 2 crusts (8 servings)

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Bloom the yeast. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy and bubbly. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast is inactive—start over with fresh yeast and check your water temperature.
Mix the dough. Add the olive oil and salt to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough is still very sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and springs back when poked. It should feel soft but not tacky.
Let it rise. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, and turn it once to coat. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Punch down and divide. Once risen, punch the dough down gently to release air. Divide it in half for two thin crusts or leave it whole for one thick crust.
Shape and bake. Preheat your oven to 475°F. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll each piece to your desired shape. Transfer to a greased baking sheet or pizza stone. Add your toppings and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and the edges are crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

Quick and Easy Foolproof Pizza Dough — The Bread That Brings Us Back to the Table