Tasty Recipes

To make your pizza you need mixing bowls, a measuring cup, measuring
spoons, a rolling pin (optional), a pizza pan or cookie sheet and a cooking
thermometer. On the last page, I mention tools that will help you in your quest
for the perfect pizza.

Ingredients
(Makes 2 Regular or 4 Thin Neapolitan Pizzas!)
· 1 or 2 Packages yeast (2-3 teaspoons of yeast or less) (Try 1-2 teaspoons)
(Peter Reinhart says only use as much as you need, you can use less yeast to get
good results)
· 2 teaspoons honey or sugar (optional)
· 4 cups of flour (Can be All purpose or Bread Flour)
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 cup olive oil (optional)
· 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° F (37° C- 43° C.)
degrees. Mix well. Wait about 5 minutes for the yeast and sugar to activate.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the olive oil, flour, salt, 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 vigorously 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 warm area
and cover with a cloth.
6. Let the dough rise for about an hour. Punch down the dough and wait 30-45
minutes. Your dough is now ready.
7. Cut the dough in half (or fourths, for thin pizza).
(I usually make 4 thin pizzas with this dough recipe!)
8. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out on a floured
surface until the dough is the desired shape. (You can omit the rolling pin and
just shape the dough with your fingers.) (The olive oil and sugar are optional
ingredients.)