Basic Pizza DoughDirections: Dissolve sugar and yeast in a large bowl with the hot water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 2 ¾ cups of the flour, salt and oil into the yeast mixture until it forms a soft dough ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes. Add enough of the remainder of your flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and the surface as your knead. Coat the inside of a bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl turning once to coat with oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking oil and let rise for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. Test the dough by pressing with two fingers, if the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough. Punch down the dough. This recipe makes 2 – 12” pizza crusts. Divide the dough in half and wrap half with plastic wrap and freeze for later use if not using immediately. Roll half the dough into a 12” round and place on a pizza peel covered with cornneal and prepare pizza for your preheated pizza stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, press into a pizza pan or place on a baking sheet lightly coated cornmeal, then prepare and bake pizza.
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