Pizza

Dough:
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast (2-3 tsp if using bulk)
1 Tbs oil
1 Tbs dried basil or 2 Tbs pesto
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
cornmeal for dusting

Preheat oven to 425F. Add the sugar to warm water (130 degrees). Whisk to dissolve, then whisk in yeast. Let rest 5 mins. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt & flour, then add basil or pesto. By now, the yeast should be very active and bubbly. Add oil. Gradually mix in the flour mixture.

Knead the dough by hand until elastic, not stiff. (about 5 mins) Roll out to a 12-14 inch round, depending on pan size. (For thicker crust, let the round rise in a warm place for 20 mins, then add topics and bake.)

Place on a well-oiled pizza pan (or stone) dusted with cornmeal. Parchment paper works so much better. No mess. Just remember to pull it out from under the pizza about 3 minutes into the cooking, otherwise it may burn! For a medium thickness, add toppings and bake ~15 mins. (Convection bake 12-15 mins.)

Typical toppings are marinara sauce (pizza sauce) reduced down on the stove till it is a paste. Otherwise the crust ends up a bit soggy, sliced mushrooms, pepperoni, chopped spinach, sliced or diced tomatoes, shredded cheese (motzarella, provalone, munster), crumbled feta. The order is slightly important for cooking (spinach trapped at the bottom will make things soggy and if on top will dry out and burn and blow around inside a convection oven (hmmm, how do I know about that you ask?), browned cheese and tomatoes on top are especially delicious.