Basic dough

Where to get the perfect recipe? If you give me 10 different "perfect" recipes, they are actually no difference to me. The perfection doesn't lay with recipe itself but my hands (or KitchenAid in your case) in making it over dozens or hundreds times! No recipe can see how your kitchen different from theirs, neither tell your weather, you flour, your mood nor your experience but all of which directly affect the final result. We just have to keep doing the same recipe until we recognize every single key that is important to us leading to the perfection. So once you get a recipe that suits you, please stick with it (for 10 times at least), then play with it (a bit), fine-tune it (for another 10 times), and master it, then you'll get your perfect recipe :D

Recipe of "my" perfect pizza dough (yield 6 - 7 extra-large thin crusts)

• Sponge: 7g or 2 1/2 tsps instant dry yeast, 3 cups lukewarm water, 4 Tbps olive oil, 4 1/2 cups unbleached/bread flour (Must be King Arthur brand if in America)
• 4 cups unbleached/bread flour (not more than 4 1/2 cups), 5 tsps salt

Direction:

1. In a large mixing bowl, well combine everything from Sponge's section with a mixing spoon. Cover, and let it ferment until more than double in volume.
2. Combine the sponge with the flour and salt ... if your dough needs water more likely because you didn't let the sponge ferment enough, anyway, add water. Knead until the dough smooth and elastic. Let it rise in 85F room until it double in volume. Divide it into six (or seven) portions. Use your hand (no rolling pin!) to stretch the dough to your desire thickness, add topping(s), and bake in 475F oven (preheat for half an hour at least with a baking stone in) until it turns golden brown.
3. The dough can be frozen... from step 2, after finishing the kneading, wrap well, freeze. When you want to use it, thaw (covered) and let it rise according to the spec.