Mystic Pizza Abm

The bread machine handles all the kneading and first rise for this pizza dough, so you’re hands-off until it’s time to shape and top. Water, olive oil, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast go in, and the machine does the rest.

After the dough cycle finishes, a 5-minute rest on a floured surface lets the gluten relax so it rolls out without fighting you. Stretch it to an 11-inch circle, slide it onto a baking sheet or pizza peel, and you’re ready to build.

Olive oil brushed directly on the dough before the sauce goes on serves two purposes. It creates a moisture barrier that keeps the crust from getting soggy under the sauce, and it adds richness and a slight crispness to the base.

Simple toppings here: pizza sauce and mozzarella. Twenty minutes at 400°F (200°C) produces a golden, bubbly pizza with a chewy interior crust and crisp edges.

Pro Tips

• Let the dough rest the full 5 minutes after removing from the machine. Trying to roll it immediately causes it to snap back.
• If you have a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven for at least 30 minutes before sliding the pizza on. The direct heat from the stone gives you a much crispier bottom.
• Don’t overload the mozzarella. Too much cheese steams the dough underneath and prevents proper crisping.
• Use the freshest mozzarella you can find. Low-moisture mozzarella melts and browns better than fresh for this application.

Variations

• Garlic white pizza: Skip the red sauce. Brush with garlic-infused olive oil, top with mozzarella and ricotta, and finish with fresh basil after baking.
• Whole wheat crust: Replace one cup of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, more substantial dough.