PIZZA

Makes four 12-inch pizzas

Ingredients:

4½ cups flour

1 package active dry yeast

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups warm water

¼ cup olive oil (for greasing pan and dough)

1/3 cup tomato sauce (per pizza)

8oz. finely chopped or grated mozzarella cheese (per pizza)

Any additional toppings of your choice

Procedure:

1. In large bowl, put 2 cups of the flour. Add yeast, salt and sugar. Mix with a fork.

2. Add 2 cups warm water to the flour mixture.

3. Mix with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute, then on high for 2 minutes.

4. Add remaining 2 ½ cups of flour and mix with a wooden spoon until dough is forming into a ball. Then mix with your hands until the ball can be transferred to a hard surface for kneading.

5. Transfer dough onto floured surface and begin kneading. Sprinkle the dough with small amounts of flour as you knead it, to prevent the dough from being sticky. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, until dough is soft and smooth.

6. Warm a large ceramic or Pyrex bowl by running under warm water for a few minutes. Then dry thoroughly with a towel.

7. Coat the inside of the bowl with olive oil. Place dough inside of the bowl and coat the top surface with a small amount of olive oil. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and set the bowl in a warm place to rise for approximately 1 hour. The dough should double in size with rising.

8. Preheat oven to 475 degrees for 15 minutes.

9. Lightly grease pizza pan with olive oil.

10. After the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough into 4 equal parts (for each 12-inch pizza pan, use one of the 4 parts). Place dough on greased pan and spread flat evenly with your fingers.

11. Spread tomato sauce evenly over pizza.

12. Add toppings (grated cheese, vegetables, meats, etc.)

13. Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 475 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of dough and toppings. Pizza will be done when crust is brown and toppings are hot.