Classic Pizza Margherita

Between 30 minutes-1 hour before baking, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. If you plant to use a baking stone, place it in the middle of the oven.

1. Add lukewarm water to the yeast and whisk and stir yeast thoroughly into water. Allow the yeast a few minutes to dissolve. Measure flour into a mixing bowl, add salt and use your hand or whisk to combine. I use the kneading attachment (dough hook) for my mixer. Pour water-yeast over flour mixture and use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine. Turn dough onto counter with extra flour and knead until flour is incorporated. Roll onto parchment or pizza stone in whatever method you know best.

2. Brush dough with a little olive oil and add all topping ingredients except cheese. Bake for 5 minutes and rotate pizza 180-degrees. Bake for an additional 3 minutes and then sprinkle cheese over top. Leave in the oven an additional 3 minutes or until the edges of your pizza are golden and crispy.

3. Remove pizza from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.