Basic bread dough

Set the oven temperature to 240 – 250 ° C
.
Place the yeast, salt, sugar, oil and 550ml warm water in a bowl. Set aside in a warm place until bubbles appear on the surface.
.
Place this mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Starting at a low speed, pour the flour into the liquid, working until a smooth dough forms.
If the dough is pulling apart in strands, add a little more water and work for a further two minutes until elastic. The dough should be quite springy but a little sticky and should ‘give’ when touched. If not, add 15ml water and work for a further minute.
Knead the dough in the electric mixer, using the dough hook, for six minutes, or knead by hand for 25 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knock it into a ball. Place the ball into an oiled bowl large enough to allow it to treble in size. Brush it with olive oil and turn it in the bowl to coat. Cover loosely with cling film or a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm, draught-free place.
When the dough has risen fully, transfer it to a heavily floured surface and punch it with your hand to expel the air (this is called knocking the dough down). It will be very moist, sticky and elastic when you remove it from the bowl.
Hand-knead the dough lightly for a minute until it is even in texture and has returned to its original size. It’s now ready to shape.