Homemade Pizza

 All You Need (This recipe yields 2 12 inch pizzas)

• 2.5 to 3 cups '00' pizza flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Toppings of your choice - onions, bell peppers,basil etc
• Pizza sauce

The Recipe

• In a large bowl, combine the yeast with the sugar, salt, lukewarm water and the oil
• Add the flour and use your hands to incorporate it all together, knead until it is fully combined (2-3 mins)
• Turn onto floured countertop and knead for 20-30 secs. If it feels too sticky add a bit more flour. It should be smooth and elastic and not sticky at this point
• Grease a large mixing bowl or a pressure cooler (works better) with olive oil. Place dough in the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let it sit and rise. Put it in an oven with light on so its warm. This takes 1-2 hrs and it becomes very puffy (1st rise)
• Split dough in 2 halves, and keep them in bowls and let them rise again (2nd rise)
• Cover with a plastic wrap and you can keep it in the refrigerator for upto 48 hrs
• Roll out each ball into a pizza. Brush with olive oil and bake for 7-8 mins at 500 degrees F. Take it out, put pizza sauce, toppings and cheese and bake for another 7-8 mins at 500 deg F.