Instructions
Combine the yeast and the warm water (about 110 degrees - not scalding or it will kill the yeast) in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy duty mixer. Let stand until the yeast is dissolved, which takes about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and sugar and about 3 cups of flour. Mix by hand for about a minute to blend the ingredients. Then add more flour until the dough can be handled easily. Grease your hands, and put more flour on a work surface or cutting board and knead for about ten minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly coated with olive oil and turn it over once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place (about 80 degrees) until doubled in volume, which takes 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Grease two pizza pans with Pam. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Roll each piece into a ball and let it rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 10 to 15 minutes. While it's resting prepare the toppings.
Flatten each ball of dough one at a time on a lightly floured work surface into a 12" round, rolling and stretching the dough. Place each dough circle on a prepared sheet. Lift the edge and pinch it to form a lip. To prevent the filling from making the crust soggy, brush the top of the dough with more olive oil.
Use your fingertips to push dents in the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling, and let it rest for about ten minutes
Top the pizza with spaghetti sauce (why pay big bucks for "pizza topping" when spaghetti sauce tastes as good, and you can reuse the rest of it later?), and then onions, mushrooms, cooked Italian sausage, green peppers, pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, pineapple or whatever seems good, and then about 6-8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until done, about 12 minutes.
This recipe published with BigOven, and can be imported instantly by BigOven users. Download your free trial at www.bigoven.com.
Yields: 6 Servings
Michael Flager and Steve Carter
notes:
Cuisine: Italian
Main Ingredient:
BigOven -- Easy to use recipe organizer
for Windows
www.bigoven.com
