How To cook Pizza

(Makes 2 Large Pizzas, or Four Thin Pizzas)

2 Packages yeast (or 1/2 oz. or 4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast)
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups of flour or more
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups of warm water


Directions
1. Put yeast and sugar in a cup. Add 1/2 cup of water. The water should be between 100 and 110 degrees F. ( 37° C- 43° C ). Mix well. Wait about 5 minutes for the yeast and sugar to activate.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, olive oil, 1 cup of warm water and the yeast mixture. Mix this with a fork to get all the liquid absorbed by the flour.

3. Place a handful of flour on a mixing surface. Dust your hands and spread out the flour. Empty the contents of the bowl on to the flour.

4. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until the texture is smooth and uniform. If the dough seems a little sticky, add a little more flour. One method to knead, is to lean on the dough with the palm of your hand. Press the dough to the mixing surface. Fold the dough and repeat.

5. Place the dough in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Place bowl in draft free area and cover with a cloth.

6. Let the dough rise for about an hour. Punch down the dough and wait about 45 minutes. Your dough is now ready.

7. Cut the dough in half.

8. Dust a rolling pin with flour and gently roll out on a floured mixing surface. until the dough is the desired shape. Keep using flour, as needed so the dough won't stick.
(A rolling pin is not essential!
You can also just use your fingers to shape the dough!)

9. Dust a cookie sheet with corn meal. (Oil will work ok, but the dough will be greasy.)

10. Use a spatula and slide the dough onto the cookie sheet. If you have a peel, assemble the pizza right on the peel dusted with corn meal. Then use the peel to place the pizza on the pre-heated pizza & baking stone. (You can also assemble the pizza first and then slide a peel underneath the pizza.) If the pizza is "sticky" and won't slide easily, use some dental floss to slide under the dough!
Make sure you use enough flour under the dough next time.

11. The more you make dough, the easier it will become. Don't get discouraged if it seems difficult the first time.
You will surprise yourself at how easy it becomes the second time.

12. Actually, the hardest part of making dough is the clean up!