This Oil-Free Vegan Pizza Dough has a puffy, chewy crust and is absolutely delicious. The trick is in letting the dough rise overnight and stretching it by hand. Top with all your favorites and this Neapolitan pizza cooks up in just 7 minutes. Family Pizza Night just got an upgrade!
Add the water and sugar to a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast and let it proof for 5 minutes. It should bubble and foam a little.
In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
When the yeast is done proofing, add the liquid water/yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Sitr with a fork until mostly combined. Then use your hands to finish mixing.
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes.
Spread a little more flour to the large mixing bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, cover, and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
(If you choose to make this dough the day you plan to bake it, then let it rise, covered, on the countertop for at least an hour.)
Day 2
Take the dough out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to cook it. Place the dough on a floured surface, cut dough into two halves, and form two round disks. COver the disks with a kitchen towel and let rise.
Place the pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500F or 260C (or slightly higher if your oven gets that hot). (You need to heat the pizza stone for at least a half-hour before baking.)
While the dough is rising, prep your toppings. Flour or add a baking sheet to the pizza paddle (see tips above).
After 1 hour take one of the dough balls and sprinkle a little flour over the top. The dough should be stretchy and loose. Use your hands to stretch the dough in a 14-inch circle. To do this hold the disk like a steering wheel, with your thumbs a half-inch beneath to top rim. Turn the dough in a circle. Gravity will stretch the dough.
Place the dough on the paddle. Sprinkle a little flour (or cornmeal) over the top and spread it lightly over the dough. Then flip the dough over so that the floured side is down.
Add your toppings leaving about ½ to 1 inch of space around the rim of the circle. (Don't overdo it! This is a thin crust pizza and the dough rips easily).
Transfer the pizza to the pizza stone and cook for 7 to 8 minutes (or until the crust is nicely browned). Remove the pizza from the oven.