Your own pizzeria

Pizza dough from scratch

Try making your own pizza dough. It's fun, and much less expensive than ready-made pizza bases or store-bought frozen pizza dough.

1. Into a large bowl, measure 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour. With wooden spoon, mix in 1 tsp (5 mL) quick-rising (instant) dry yeast and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt.

2. Pour 1/2 cup (125 mL) hand-hot tap water into liquid measuring cup; add 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil or canola oil. Pour over flour mixture and stir until all dry ingredients are moistened and dough looks shaggy.

3. Dust hands with flour and gather dough into ball. Dust counter generously with flour; dump dough on counter.

4. Folding top half of dough over bottom half, push hard against double layer of dough with heels of your hands, then give dough a quarter turn.

5. Repeat the folding, pushing and turning for about 8 minutes or until dough is smooth, springy and stretchy like an elastic band.

6. Keep hands and counter lightly dusted with flour if dough is sticky (but the trick is not to add too much flour). As you knead, the flour absorbs moisture and dough becomes smooth.

7. Brush dough very lightly with olive oil or canola oil and place on counter; cover with bowl and let rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

8. Uncover and gently stretch dough (or roll with rolling pin) to a circle about 12 inches (30 cm) wide. Dust 12-inch (30 cm) pizza pan with cornmeal and place dough over top.

9. Starting at center, gently press dough to fill pan and form a little raised rim. If dough becomes too stretchy, let it rest for a few minutes before continuing.

10. Cooking instructions: Spread pizza base with sauce and cover with toppings. Bake in bottom third of 500F (260C) oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden and slightly puffed.

Makes one 12-inch (30 cm) pizza base. Double ingredients for 2 bases.