Beth's Perfect and Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

Easy and delicious!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 2 crusts

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/4teaspoon) package dried yeast
• 1  cup  lukewarm water
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup cornmeal

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in water.
2. Combine flour and salt in large mixing bowl.
3. Make a well in center of flour and with your hands, work in 1/2 of the yeast mixture.
4. Add olive oil and then continue to work in the rest of the yeast mixture.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of water if necessary to make dough soft and smooth.
6. Turn dough onto flat surface and knead for 10 minutes.
7. Oil a large mixing bowl and place dough in it, turning on dough over to get oil on all sides.
8. Cover with damp towel and let rise for 1 hour.
9. Preheat pizza stone in oven at 500 degrees.
10. Divide pizza dough in half. Roll out each half into 12-14" circles making crusts about 1/8" thick.
11. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cornmeal onto pizza peal. Place 1 pizza crust on pizza peal and lightly brush with olive oil. Add all ingredients you want on your pizza.
12. Slide pizza from peel onto preheated pizza stone in the oven. Cook until crust is crisp and golden, about 15-20 minutes.
13. DOUGH CAN BE FROZEN: After rising, shape dough into 2 balls a, wrap and freeze. To use, thaw at room temperature and roll out as described.