Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2-cup warm water. Allow the yeast to proof until it is foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining 1-cup of warm water, combining it well with the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups of the flour and the salt. Mix the dough with your hands or use a mixer with a dough hook, adding the remaining flour as needed to make dough that holds together.

On lightly floured Dough EZ mat, knead dough for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft and not sticky. Lightly grease a bowl with the olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and turn a few times to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

If using baking stones, preheat the stones in a 500ºF oven for 20 minutes. Just before placing the pizza on the stone from the baking peel, sprinkle each stone with a handful of cornmeal.

Punch down dough. Sprinkle lightly with flour on both sides. Place inside Dough EZ mat. Roll out dough, using circle guides to achieve desired size. Transfer to pizza screen, dusted pizza peel or stone.

Top with favorite sauce and toppings.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cook until top and bottom crusts are nicely browned and desired crispness is attained.

Margarita Pizza: Tomato sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.

White Pizza with Roasted Garlic Bechamel Sauce: White Sauce (See below: Bechamel sauce), slices of fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and or Fontina cheese, dollops of ricotta cheese, roasted garlic cloves, fresh basil and sprinkle of dried oregano.