How To Make Pizza

Pizza dough is made with yeast so it does take a little advance planning, but it's easy to handle and can be frozen. This recipe makes enough dough for about two 12-inch pizzas. After the dough is ready all you have to do is put some tomato sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings on and put it in the oven.

1. Sprinkle the yeast into a medium bowl containing 1 1/4 cup warm water and stir until yeast dissolves.

2. Add 2 cups sifted flour and stir until blended.

3. Add another 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour and blend until too stiff to stir with a spoon.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 to 15 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. (See "How to Knead Bread Dough" in the Related eHows.)

5. Place the dough in another bowl greased with a small amount of oil. Turn the dough once so that the top is oiled.

6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place for about 45 minutes--until the dough rises to about double its original size.

7. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

8. Dump the dough back onto the floured surface and punch it down, getting rid of any bubbles. Divide the dough in half and let it rest a few minutes.

9. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle, depending on your personal preference for how thick pizza crust should be. (It will puff slightly when baked.)

10. Transfer the dough to an oiled pizza pan or baking sheet, or, if you have a baking stone, to a cornmeal-sprinkled wooden pizza peel for transfer directly to the stone.

11. Add sauce, cheese and toppings as desired. If you like, brush exposed edges of the crust with olive oil.

12. Bake each pizza for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned and cheese is melted

Tips & Warnings

If the water is too cold or too hot, the yeast will either not activate or be killed. "Warm" water should be about 115 degrees F - it should feel warm but not hot, rather like you were preparing a baby's bottle. (See "How to Proof Yeast" in the Related eHows.)

You can add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the dough if you like.

To freeze the dough, form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in foil, and freeze. To defrost, put it in the refrigerator in the morning before you go to work, then take it out for an hour or two before you plan to bake. It should be room temperature when you roll it.

Possible toppings include roasted eggplant and bell peppers; sautéed onions and Kalamata olives; and wilted spinach with sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta cheese. If you like fresh basil or other herbs on your pizza, add them after the pizza comes out of the oven.

source : How to make pizza