Pizza Dough

This is a great basic pizza dough. It's NOT thin... more on the thick, chewy side. Very yummy. You can easily make a few batches and throw them in the freezer for later. You can also add fresh herbs like oregano or basil or thyme (or any combination) when you add the flour. This makes a nice bread as well. When I've made it, I definitely did not need all the flour in the recipe.. just an FYI.

I got the recipe off of www.foodnetwork.com and it's one of Emeril Lagasse's

What you'll need...

1 cup of warm water (105-115 F)

1 package of active dry yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of salt

cornmeal for sprinkling the pan

In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, honey and 1 tablespoon of olive oil stirring to combine. Let it sit until the mixture is foamy.

Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. You might not need all the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until smooth but still slightly tacky (about 3-5 minutes).

Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining oil. Place dough in the bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap (or a clean towel) and set in a warm place free from drafts until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).

Punch the dough down.

** At this point, you can freeze it. Just knead it a few times on a floured surface. Put your dough ball in a freezer bag and pop in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, just take it out of the freezer to thaw it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you put it in the refrigerator to thaw, just make sure take it out ahead of time so that it can warm up to room temperature before you start rolling it with your rolling pin.

Roll out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle your pizza pan with cornmeal and place the dough on top. Top with your favorite pizza fixins.

A family favorite is to brush the top with olive oil, top with shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese, thin sliced tomatoes and fresh chopped basil.

I usually cook the pizza at 425 for about 15-20 minutes.