SICILIAN-STYLE PIZZA DOUGH

      Title: SICILIAN-STYLE PIZZA DOUGH
  Categories: Pizza
       Yield: 6 Servings
  
   1 1/2 c  Warm tap water (110 to 115
            -degrees)
       1 pk Active dry yeast
   4 1/2    To 5 cups flour
     1/2 c  Olive oil
       1 ts Salt
  
   1.  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.
   
   2.  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.
   
   3.  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.
   
   4.  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!)
   
   5.  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.
   
   6.  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.
   
   7.  Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place.  Let the dough rise
   for 30 to 45 minutes.
   
   8.  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.
   
   9.  The dough is now ready to be patted and rolled into pizza, or to
   undergo additional rising.
   
   10. 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
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