The Quest for the Perfect Pizza Crust

Link to the recipe I have been working off of.

 The first time I made my own pizza dough, this "pizza in a bread bowl" monster was the result.

I am currently waiting for the dough to rise.  This is the second time I have tried the recipe I linked above.  The first time I made it, it was too big for our pizza stone, and too bland for our snooty high end taste buds to be happy with.  However, it had a fantastic texture.  Because we, passive food snobs that we are, value the texture of our food over all other aspects, I figured it was worth a second attempt.

I have altered the recipe to the following: (copy/pasted and altered from link above)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 teaspoons salt (trying Alderwood smoked salt this time)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. 
4. Cut dough in half.  Put one half into a well oiled container, cover, and stick that bad boy in the fridge for tomorrow.
5. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
7. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Update 1: It be in the oven YO!
Cutting the dough in half was right thing to do.  It actually fit on the pizza stone this time.  Last time I tried to use the whole mess, and it was just that- a whole mess.

Update 2: Om Nom Nom

This was tonight's result.

It was the right size, and actually had flavor this time!  But it was a touch over cooked, so that crunchy outer shell on the crust got a little brutal at times.  I had it in the oven for 20 minutes because 15 hadn't been enough.  I'm thinking the second half that is in the fridge will be cooked for 16-17 minutes.

Also, the first time I made this crust, I was feeling all "chef-y" so I actually brushed the crust with garlic butter when I first took it out of the oven.  That would have helped this time... the coating of flour was a bit much.

Improved over the first time, I think I am on the right track!


Update 3:  WTF CHEESE?
I am lactose intolerant = NO CHEESE
My husband Kris is allergic to soy = NO SOY CHEESE
Not well enough known secret = Some people who are lactose intolerant can actually handle Goat Cheese.  It works for me, and I don't question it.

It was a struggle to find a goat cheese that worked well for both of us.  The local yuppie pizza joint actually has goat cheese, but they use the more readily available cream cheese consistency type, and apply it in "artistic" sporadic blobs.  It tastes good enough, if you can't have "real cheese" - but Kris couldn't get on board with that flavor for our regular food rotation so I searched for something else. 
Besides, common goat cheese really only goes nicely with a chicken pizza in my opinion.  I can't imagine mixing that with pepperoni.

Then, I stumbled upon THIS:

 

This cheese rocks our world. 

 Admittedly, it has been ~9 years since I have been able to eat cow cheese, but this tastes just like the cow milk version, melts almost like the cow milk version, and... yeah.  Awesome stuff.