1. Dissolve the Yeast in the Warm Water and Set Aside

Easy Pizza Dough

Quantity Measure Ingredient 1 Pkg. Active-dry yeast (about 2 ¼ tsp.) 1 ½ Cups Very warm water (110 degrees F) 4 cups All-purpose flour; more for dusting ½ Tsp. Salt 2 T. Olive oil

Directions 1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to blend. Add the water/yeast mixture and blend well. Mix in the olive oil.

3. Scrape the soft dough onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, quickly knead the dough into a mass, incorporating any bits of flour or dough from the bowl that weren’t mixed in.

4. Cut the dough into 4 pieces with a knife or dough scraper. Roll each piece into a tight, smooth ball, kneading to push the air out.

5. Normally you will set the dough aside, covered with a clean dish cloth to rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. (In class, you will spray the inside of a large Ziploc bag with cooking spray, insert your dough, label the bag and store it in the refrigerator until the next day.)

6. To shape dough, put each piece on a separate greased cookie sheet and press into desired size. The thinner the dough, the less toppings it can handle.

7. Spread sauce, then cheese, then toppings on pizza dough. You may want to sprinkle a little cheese on top. 8. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-18 minutes, depending on crust thickness and number of toppings. It’s done when the cheese is starting to brown and the crust is browning and becomes firm.

9. Let cool for several minutes before cutting to allow toppings to “stick” to the crust. Enjoy!