Make it yourself: pizza dough
- Words by Peppermint
If there’s a better comfort food than pizza, we’re yet to chow it down. It’s why we partnered with our friends at Lighthouse to bring you this simple make-it-yourself pizza dough recipe – so you can whip up your own creation whenever the craving strikes. And let’s face it, when doesn’t it strike?
Ingredients
3 cups (250g) Lighthouse Bread & Pizza Plain Flour
7g dried yeast
2 tsp salt
320ml lukewarm water
4 tsp olive oil
Method
Made by hand
Dissolve dried yeast in lukewarm water, stir and set aside for 2 minutes or until little bubbles form on the surface – this way you know your yeast is alive.
Measure out the flour, add salt and, if working straight onto a bench space, push ingredients into a pyramid (if you are using a bowl this is not necessary) and make a well at the top.
Pour the olive oil into the well and then slowly pour in some of the yeast/water mixture. Using your hands, fold the flour into it. Do this until all ingredients are mixed.
Knead dough on flat, floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Drizzle the ball of dough with olive oil (this prevents the dough from sticking to the bowl and enriches the dough flavour) and place in a clean bowl.
Cover with a damp tea towel and place somewhere warm for an hour or until dough doubles in size*.
Made with a mixer
In the bowl of a mixer, dissolve the yeast (if you are using fresh yeast, just double the amount required of dried yeast) in lukewarm water.
Put the bowl into the mixer and add the measured flour, salt and then drizzle in the oil. Using the dough-hook attachment, mix the ingredients for 5-7 minutes, watching as a dough ball forms. Use personal judgement as to whether or not another tablespoon of water needs to be added.
After 10 minutes, remove the dough ball, drizzle lightly with olive oil, place in a clean bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm place for an hour or until dough doubles in size*.
*time taken for dough to double varies depending on conditions.
Preparing the dough
Once your dough has risen, divide it in half (or more if you want smaller pizzas) and roll into balls. Place onto a clean tray and leave to rise again for an hour.
For best results, leave the dough balls covered in the fridge over night – this greatly improves the flavour of your dough and also reduces the elasticity, so you can roll it out and get that perfect base and crust.
Alternatively, if you want to make pizza on the same day, you can roll out the dough balls after having let them rise again for a minimum of an hour. However, do note that you will find the dough difficult to roll out due to its elasticity and it will result in a thicker pizza base.
Three ways to shape your base
On a well-floured surface, take one of the dough balls and flatten by hand. With reasonable care, push and pull the dough into a round shape. Spinning the dough around using your fingertips is also a great way to get it to stretch out. Do this until the dough is thin and in the right shape.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to the desired shape and thickness. Note that this method will result in a thinner and flatter pizza base with no crust, as the rolling pin presses out the air bubbles.
This one’s similar to the first option – but after stretching the dough out a little bit, pick it up and spin it in the air. Gravity will take care of the rest. This trick might take some practise and good hand-eye coordination! If your fingers go through the dough, just pinch it back together.
Et voila – you’ve only gone and made a pizza base! Now chuck your fave toppings on it, get it in the oven and bask in the comforting glory of what you’re about to eat – you totally made that!
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
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“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
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The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
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Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
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Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
