Pizza

I am so shamelessly addicted to pizza. I told Travis once that I really don't like to eat anything unless it is sweet or pizza. I'm like a 9-year-old, you know, when you ask what a 9-year-old's favorite food is. It's always pizza. We seriously make homemade pizza almost weekly. Oh and the huge forest of fresh basil growing on our patio doesn't help much. This makes two 12-inch pizzas. (I use 3/4 of this recipe to make one gigantic pizza that fills my pizza stone completely.)

1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. cornmeal,
1 cup pizza sauce
Assorted toppings (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, olives, peppers, etc.)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine 1/4 cup water, yeast, and sugar in mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining water, olive oil, 2 cups flour, and salt and mix well. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms a ball but is not overly sticky. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (about 45-60 min.) - (This is where I scrape the dough into a ball and spray the inside of the mixing bowl with olive oil, cover it and put it over a bowl of hot water, which will cut the rising time in half - about 20-30 min.)

Punch dough down, turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide in half and roll each half into a round (if you let it rest for about 10 minutes it will stretch easily to the size you want). Transfer to pizza stone or pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake at 425 degrees for about 9 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sauce and pizza toppings; bake for another 15 minutes or until it looks done.

Oh yes, back to the basil. I like to do a "pizza margherita" with sliced tomatoes, snipped fresh basil, and slices of fresh mozzarella. Then you feel healthier because you're eating vegetables (you know, the tomatoes) and no meat.