Pizza Dough

Place the fast rising yeast into a mixing bowl. I use a KitchenAid. Add to this the warm water (not too hot, it will kill the yeast). Add the sugar. Let it activate. Add the olive oil. Mix slightly. Add the flour along with the salt. Keep ½ cup of water handy if this mixture is too dry. Also, if you think the dough will react better to more oil, add more as needed. If you use more olive oil, the crust will be more cake-like and softer.

Knead the dough about 3-5 minutes. Let it rise until it doubles. Knock it down and let it rise again for about an hour. Divide the dough into two balls. Roll out on a floured surface. Oil a pizza pan and add some corn meal to the bottom, or if using a stone, just add a sprinkle of cornmeal.

Roll each ball out to form a crust using a rolling pin. You may have to flip it over a few times. Make sure to flour the surface you are rolling on and flour the rolling pin also. Do not use too much force as you are rolling and try to keep your pressure consistent. If you handle the dough too much it will make it tough. Add your toppings and bake in a 400ºF to 425ºF oven. It should take 15 to 20 minutes to bake until the crust is brown.