New York Style Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup warm water

2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup cornmeal

sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice

Method:

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in water. Add oil and flour to bowl and stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a circle. Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for 12 minutes. Divide dough into portions: 4 equal portions for cal-zones, 3 equal portions for 8" pizzas, 2 equal portions for 12" pizzas. Place dough balls in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm location. Place a dough ball on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle a light coating of flour on top. Working from the edges to the center, press dough into a circle. Preheat a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 1 hour. Coat a large cutting board with cornmeal and place the flattened dough onto the cornmeal.

Spread sauce over crust and top with cheese and desired toppings. Gently shake the cutting board from side to side, assuring it isn't sticking to the board. For a cal-zone, fold the crust over in half. Slide the pizza/cal-zone from the cutting board directly onto the stone in the oven. Bake in 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden.