Perfect Pizza Crust (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Dough Base

01 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (40-43°C)
02 - 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
03 - 1 tablespoon sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
06 - 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
07 - Garlic salt for sprinkling
08 - Cornmeal for dusting

→ Topping Suggestions

09 - 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes or 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella
10 - 1/2 cup pizza sauce

# Instructions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, stir together water, sugar and yeast. Let sit 5-10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy and dissolved.
02 - Add olive oil, salt, and 1½ cups flour and mix until combined using a hook attachment or wooden spoon. Gradually incorporate 2 more cups of flour until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If dough remains too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time (up to ¼ cup) until dough barely sticks to your fingers.
03 - Once dough has pulled away from the bowl, knead in mixer on medium-low speed or by hand for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl lightly coated with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Turn dough to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
05 - About 15 minutes before dough is ready, preheat pizza stone or baking sheet in middle rack of oven for 30-60 minutes at 475°F for normal crust or 550°F for thin crust.
06 - After dough has doubled, remove from bowl and knead briefly. For normal crust, divide dough into two equal balls; for thin crust, divide into three equal balls. Cover with plastic wrap followed by a towel and rest for 15 minutes. During this time, prepare all pizza toppings.
07 - Roll each dough ball out onto a lightly floured nonstick mat or parchment paper into a 12-inch round circle.
08 - Carefully remove hot pizza stone/baking pan from the oven. GENEROUSLY grease the entire surface with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
09 - Transfer pizza dough to prepared stone/pan and pinch edges to create a rimmed crust. Lightly brush the top of the crust with about 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Using a fork, prick several holes in the crust to prevent bubbling.
10 - For normal pizza crust: Bake assembled pizza at 475°F for 12 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is golden. For thin crust: Bake at 550°F for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden.

# Notes:

01 - You can freeze one of the dough balls after the division step for future use.
02 - If the dough slides easily on the pan, it has enough cornmeal; if not, add more cooking spray and cornmeal.
03 - Works well for Barbecue Chicken, Margherita, Greek, Philly Cheesesteak, and Chipotle Pulled Pork pizza variations.

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