One of my favorite ways to bring people together is a pizza party. One person can make a big batch of dough, and everyone else can provide their favorite toppings. The type of pizza dough I make depends on how much time and patience I have.
If I have an extra day and feel like weighing ingredients, I’ll follow Ken Forkish’s method from Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast. Jim Lahey’s technique is similar but requires less kneading. It uses just a small amount of yeast and an overnight rise for a slight sourdough tang. If you have a sourdough starter, you can incorporate it into the dough—or even mix it with a bit of instant yeast for a quicker rise.
The dough recipe below is a quick and easy option when you only have an afternoon. If you’re short on time, many grocery stores sell ready-made dough near the deli counter, and a lot of pizza restaurants, like Moose’s Tooth, also sell uncooked pizza dough.
Pizza is a blank canvas, open to endless creative possibilities. I’ve been inspired by Vermont’s flatbread tradition, which elevates pizza with local meats, root vegetables, pickled delicacies, and artisan cheeses. Thinking about an Alaska summer pizza, I imagined a classic white pizza topped with smoked salmon and fresh greens—simple, vibrant, and packed with local flavor.
Quick and Easy Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine warm water (no hotter than wrist temperature), yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes to activate.
- In a large bowl, mix the two types of flour and salt. Add the activated yeast mixture and olive oil, stirring to combine. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 pieces, shape them into round balls, cover, and let rise for 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator). Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat your oven to 450–500° F. Instead of a pizza stone, I use 12-inch cast iron skillets, preheating them in the oven.
- Roll out each dough ball into a 12-inch circle. Remove the skillets from the oven, place the dough inside, add toppings, and bake for about 10 minutes, until the toppings are bubbly and the bottom is crisp.
Smoked Salmon White Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh mixed herbs or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup grated hard mozzarella (not fresh)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 ounces smoked salmon
- 1 cup mixed greens, such as fireweed greens or arugula
- ¼ cup wild onions, chives, or other fresh herbs, chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic with the olive oil and herbs. Let it infuse while you prepare the dough. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle and spread the garlic olive oil mixture on top. Evenly distribute the grated mozzarella, then add small dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 450° F until the pizza is nearly done. Add the smoked salmon and remaining toppings. If you prefer slightly wilted greens, add them now. Otherwise, wait until just before slicing. Return the pizza to the oven for another minute. Slice and serve immediately.
