Pizza Dough

Directions

1. 1
   Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl.
2. 2
   Stir well to dissolve the yeast and sugar.
3. 3
   Let sit for 3-5 minutes to let the yeast bloom (or wake up).
4. 4
   You'll see foam on top when its awake and ready to go.
5. 5
   While you're waiting for the yeast, combine the flour, basil, oregano and salt in a large bowl.
6. 6
   Stir well to evenly distribute the salt.
7. 7
   Add the olive oil (it will get sired/mixed in during kneading).
8. 8
   Once the yeast water is foamy on top (see photos below) stir it into the flour mixture.
9. 9
   Stir it with a spoon until it forms a loose ball.
10. 10
    Turn it out onto a counter and begin to knead the dough.
11. 11
    Knead well for 10 minutes.
12. 12
    Sprinkle flour on the countertop sparingly as you knead.
13. 13
    If you add too much flour the dough will end up dense (more like a bagel) rather than light like a pizza dough.
14. 14
    To use the dough the same day, form the kneaded dough into a ball (or cut and form into four small balls for individual pizzas).
15. 15
    Spray a bowl with non stick spray, place the dough inside and turn it to coat with oil.
16. 16
    Cover the bowl loosely and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.
17. 17
    An hour later, after it has risen, punch it down to release some gasses and stretch it into a 16 round base.
18. 18
    Bake in a preheated (completely preheated, no short cuts here) oven at 230C for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy.
19. 19
    Making sure the oven is well heated before hand will ensure that the bottom cooks and gets nice and crispy.
20. 20
    If you are going to add toppings, cook the pizza plain for a few minutes before adding the toppings and returning to the oven for the remaining time.