Best Pizza of My LIFE

Michael's Pizza Dough

This make 2 pizzas. It deviates from the original recipe a bit with a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour but here is the original which Michael has made many times with great success:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Rehydrate the yeast in the cup of warm water, and add the oil to this as well. While the yeast is waking up, mix the dry ingredients well. Add the fluids to the dry stuff gradually, a mixer is good for this.

Michael does the initial knead using a dough hook in the mixer, adding a tablespoon of flour at a time until it comes together in a nice elastic ball. Depending on the flour you use this could take a surprising amount of extra flour; whole wheat seems to take a lot and white seems to take less.

Knead this ball a few times and then set aside in a warm place. Once it has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 2 balls (or however many pizzas you want to make) and knead it a little and then let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Finally, roll the dough out into the pizza circles as thin or thick as you want. If you want cracker crust you can bake it right away. For a puffier crust let it rise for a bit. Bake in a preheated 425F oven. 20-25 minutes if you do deep dish style, or 16-18 minutes if you do a thinner crust. We prefer the thinner, but sometimes opt for a yummy deep dish style using a well-oiled 9" spring form cake pan.

"I made that." -Michael

Meanwhile, Jean makes the sauce. She cooks a small yellow onion, finely chopped, and some garlic in some olive oil. Add Italian herbs. Add a can of tomato sauce, simmer until it's a darker red and the flavor has developed.

Lately we have been on a (fancy, healthy) pepperoni kick, but one of our favorites is italian sausage and black olive, or do an olive oil base (no tomato sauce) with peppers, goat cheese, sausage, maybe some artichoke hearts and olives, fresh basil...

The possibilities are endless. It's all about Michael's dough. That's what she said.