How long should my pizza dough take to rise?

[rsilvergun]

Hi all, trying to learn to cook, and I picked pizza for my first 'real' food. I keep messing up the dough, though (there's a pun there somewhere...). Anyway, it comes up chewy and glumpy, instead of bread-like. My yeast seems to be proofing OK (I get the tan color on top). I'm not using the quick type yeast since the recipe doesn't call for it. I've been letting it rise for 60 to 90 minutes at a time and then chilling the dough balls. I have noticed the balls continue to rise after I put them in the fridge even after an hour and a half of rising, but all the recipes I have say 40 minutes to an hour, so I figured 90 would be plenty. I use all purpose white flour (unbleached, the organic brand Safeway Stores is carrying) and all purpose wheat flour. The recipe I was following is from here: BillyReisinger.com :: The Ridiculously Thorough Guide to Making Your Own Pizza. I'm in Arizona, but it's not particularly hot, or humid right now. I've been using a pizza stone, but it seems like it's cooking the bottom of the crust too fast, so I'm going to try a pizza screen too soon, but I wanted to get the dough right first. Should I just let it rise more, am I not kneeding it enough? I know I'm doing something wrong, I just don't know what

[Suzanne]

Maybe it's your oven/heat level? I'm pretty much a pizza novice myself, so I'm putting a copy of this question on the Baking board.

[Jayme]

rsilver- Pizza- to make sure I am understanding... you make your dough, allow it to rise (which it appears it is doing fine). Then you refrigerate it (yes, dough will rise in the fridge- in fact I have a recipe where you allow the dough to rise only in the fridge overnight)- question- why are you refrigerating it? after the first rise, the dough should be full and fluffy, - if it has falled and/or full of holes, you may be leaving it too long. After 1st rise, you can just punch dough down and then shape it and place on pizza stone. Add your toppings. It will rise again as it cooks. What temp are you cooking at? I usually cook mine at 450- 500deg. in the middle rack. Cook until browned and crust crispy.
Sounds like you are on track..... I'd say try it again, and post dough recipe if it doesn't work....

[Grumio]

Heat the pizza stone (500f for 20-30 min.) THEN slide the prepped pizza onto it.

[damack]

i have worked at several pizza restrants, there we had a large oven that is a convayer belt but we cook the pizza at 450 for about 7min the pizza will rise more in the oven after it is tossed out onto a pan


also try the pizza stone they are helpfull too

[kuan]

You let it rise first, about twice the original size, then you roll it out. Put on the sauce/toppings/cheese and toss it in the oven.