By Simran Makkar
September 17, 2026
We all know Joey Tribbiani would never say no to a slice, but his love for pizza reminds us that a great pizza starts with getting the basics right. And it all starts with the dough. Made with just flour, yeast, salt, water and a little patience, homemade pizza dough is simple but makes all the difference. Once you’ve stretched your own dough into a thin, bubbly base, store-bought just doesn’t feel quite the same.
– 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting – 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast – 1 ½ cups warm water – 1 teaspoon sugar – 2 teaspoons salt – 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
In a small bowl, mix the warm water and sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until frothy and bubbly on top; this tells you the yeast is active.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture along with the olive oil.
Mix everything with your hands or a spoon until it comes together into a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until it turns smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat.
Cover with a damp cloth or cling film and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, punch the dough down gently to release the air, then divide it into portions depending on how many pizzas you're making.
Let the divided dough rest for another 10-15 minutes before rolling or stretching it out into your pizza base.
Top as you like and bake in a preheated oven until golden and crisp.