Pizza Dough

Directions

1. 1
   Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a medium bowl and let stand until dissolved.
2. 2
   Toss the flour and salt together and stir into the dissolved yeast, using a wooden spoon or your fingers, until you have a stiff dough.
3. 3
   Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. 4
   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn the dough to coat all sides with oil, and cover with a damp cloth.
5. 5
   Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. 6
   Punch down the dough and, if necessary, divide into the number of portions called for in the recipe.
7. 7
   Place the dough balls on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly against the dough.
8. 8
   Refrigerate until the dough is roughly doubled in bulk.
9. 9
   This can take from 12 to 24 hours.
10. 10
    Punch down the dough and continue with the recipe.