Just popping in to say that I intend to work my way through the advice offered - yesterday I started by following @Aspenglow 's recipe. It worked a charm and made two delicious, large pizzas. The crust had to compete with some other excellent components for attention (sauce made from fresh garden tomatoes and herbs; locally produced pepperoni and goat cheese) but it had an excellent texture and taste. I agree that the honey was an excellent touch - it didn’t make the dough sweet, but it gave a nice dimension to the taste.
I just get Trader Joe’s pizza dough from the refrigerated section. At $1.79, it’s easier than making dough from scratch and it makes a good crust.
Another option (for ready-made pizza dough) is to ask your local pizzeria if they’ll sell a ball of theirs to you. We did that a few times when I was a kid.
I’m so glad the recipe worked out well for you! My take on the addition of the honey isn’t that it has much impact on the taste of the dough, but it sure makes a difference to the texture. One I love, anyway. 
Thanks for sharing your results!
About five years ago my pizza crust got much better when I used some of the tips you’ve gotten here: I replaced all purpose flour with bread flour, and I started using an overnight rise. My crust from a bland bread to a crispy, chewy, tangy delight.
I like making sometimes what’s called a poolish. Start getting a bit of a wang flavor after a day or so at room temperature. Seems to color up better, too. I like aging cookie dough as well, it makes a difference. (Adults can do this, children will look at you as abusive if you suggest waiting till tomorrow!)
Bread flour works fine for this, higher protein seems to age with more aroma. AP flour makes my kitchen smell more like a Wonder Bread bakery, bread flour is exotic and smells really good. The problem with Pizza is it is often a “binge” purchase. If I got that organized, too, I’d probably eat a Pizza every day. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
That… is not the flavor profile I am aiming for.
Pizza whang! The wonderful odor of any good pizzaria as soon as you walk in the door. Yes it is. Nod your head “yes”. Sorry for any misunderstanding.
I like the recipe from The NY Times found in the link below, but I add slightly more salt (basically a heaping tsp), it gives the dough a little more volume. I make it Aeros in the day, freeze one ball and refrigerate the other until I use it that night.
- 153grams 00 flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
- 153grams all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons)
- 8grams fine sea salt (1 teaspoon)
- 2grams active dry yeast (¾ teaspoon)
- 4grams extra-virgin olive oil (1 teaspoon)
Reporting in again to say that our Christmas Eve dinner of homemade pizza combined suggestions from several posts: I used the Bobby Flay recipe but with 00 flour and a several hour poolish rise.
It was excellent, mostly because (in addition to wonderful toppings) the dough (I assume thanks to the 00 grind) rolled out nice and thin and stayed put, so I was able to make a very large round thin-crust pizza with little trouble. Some tweaking is still in order, though: an overnight fridge rise would be good, I think. And I might try @Aspenglow’s recipe again, but with 00 flour and an overnight rise. And while I did achieve a nice thin crust, I think I could do better next time.
Funny thing is, I ordered 00 flour on Amazon, since the internet suggests it is not commonly available and one reason home cooks don’t use it is because it’s simply not in most grocery stores. Amazon is sluggish these days and it isn’t due to arrive until sometime in January. So two days ago I was in a local Foodland, which is an entirely adequate but not high-end grocery here on Hawai’i Island (selection is much better at Safeway, where wealthy retirees from the mainland who moved to Hawai’i in their 60s tend to shop). To my everlasting amazement and amusement, THEY HAD 00 FLOUR. That’s what I used for the Christmas Eve pizza.
We made pizza dough yesterday. Mixed up a batch of sticky goo, poured it out onto the floured slab. Husband plunged both hands in up to the wrist and said, “What next?” I said, “Flour your hands or dough before kneading…” I was laughing so hard. We lost at least half of that batch because he couldn’t get it off his hands. It was like Brer Rabbit and the tar baby.
I make home-made pizza frequently. Here’s the crust method I use. Not too dissimilar from others shared here:
1 1/4 C 105-110 degree water. Very important.
1/2 Tbl salt
1 tsp honey or sugar
1 package yeast
Proof for 5 min,
Add 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour. Mix and knead a couple minutes.
Let rise 4 hour in warm spot.
Punch down and flour/divided into two pieces. Knead briefly. Store in refrigerator.
You can use it immediately but it’s best to let it continue to expand in the refrigerator for a couple days.
Cook at the hottest setting your over will go. Mine is 550.
That’s how I do it.