Ordering a pizza is easy, but making your own is almost as easy and really fun. Plus, there’s no limit to toppings you can put on, just wander the aisles of the supermarket and grab whatever makes you happy to top your pizza with. Even the boyfriend (who NEVER cooks) likes to get involved with this one. That way he can ensure that no less than 3 pounds of cheese gets on there, even though I insist to him that the dough won’t cook properly if the crust is over-cheesed or over-sauced. To combat his enthusiasm, I prebake the crust for about 5-8 minutes on the bottom rack. This recipe is for a thinner crust (shown in this post), but I’m working on creating a recipe for deep dish that’s like pizza made on a loaf of foccacia. That will follow soon!

(Mix a packet of yeast with warm water and sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes.)

(Flour and spices get mixed in a bowl while the yeast preps.)

(Pour the now foamy liquid into the flour and blend to make a ball of dough.)

(Cover tightly and let rest for an hour until the dough has doubled in size.)

(While the dough rises, remove a sausage or two from the casing and cook in a pan until browned.)

(When the dough is risen, spread it out onto a olive oiled cookie sheet with olive oiled hands, because it will be sticky!)

(Prebake and top if you plan to use a lot of toppings, or just top and bake on the bottom rack for 15 minutes. It is done when the crust is browned lightly. At this point, remove it from the oven, slice it up, and devour!)