Great-Grandma Lepre's 4th-Generation Pizza (Rhode Island Pizza)

This was taken from South County Magazine, June 2010. Anyone from Rhode Island is familiar with this kind of pizza which is a family recipe of the Lepre family and served all over Rhode Island. It has no cheese - simply a risen bread dough with a very plain, fresh tomato sauce topping.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 45 mins
• Yields: 2 pizzas

Ingredients

• 6  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons shortening
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 3  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup warm water
• 2 (1/4ounce) packets dry yeast (check expiration date)
•  extra flour
•  additional warm water, if needed
•  olive oil
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, crushed
•  salt
•  pepper
•  oregano
•  basil
•  freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Using your hands, combine flour, shortening and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix sugar and 1/2 cup warm water.
3. When completely dissolved, add yeast and allow to foam up.
4. Add wet mixture into the well of dry ingredients.
5. Using hands, slowly bring flour mixture into the center, combining and kneading.
6. Gradually add 2 cups of lukewarm water as you continue to knead. If dough sticks to your hands, add more flour a little at a time. If it feels hard and resistant, add a little water. When this forms a ball, coat with a thin film of olive oil.
7. Cover loosely with a towel and let dough rise in a warm place 2 hours.
8. When risen, with dough still in the bowl, punch it in the center.
9. Separate into halves, and place each half oil side down on two pizza pans or cookie sheets.
10. Spread and stretch dough from the center out, being sure to leave a lip around the edge.
11. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise another hour.
12. When you're ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
13. Spread a thin layer of one can crushed tomatoes over the dough.
14. Add salt, pepper, oregano and basil to taste.
15. Leave as is, or sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over tomatoes.
16. Bake 15 minutes, then check using a spatula to raise pizza and peek underneath.
17. Bake further until the crust is crispy and golden brown.