The Perfect Pizza

Pizza Dough
Makes almost 2 pounds
Enough for two 14-inch thin pizzas, two 12-inch medium-thick pizzas, four 11-to-12-inch thin pizzas, four 8-inch medium-thick pizzas, eight 8-inch thin pizzas, eight 6-inch medium-thick pizzas
Ingredients:
1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups bread flour + (enough to make a smooth satiny dough)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Semolina for dusting peel (Corn meal)

1. Measure 1/2 cup warm (90 degrees F) water in a 2-cup or larger liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast, and let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup cool tap water and oil to yeast mixture. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt to combine in a large food processor fitted with a steel blade. Holding back about 1 tablespoon, pour liquid ingredients over flour; pulse to form a rough ball. If dough does not readily form a ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid and continue to pulse until ball forms. (If dough is too moist add more flour as needed)Continue to process until dough is smooth and satiny.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round ball. Put dough into a medium-large bowl coated with vegetable cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise at room temperature to double in size, about 2 hours.
3. At least 1/2 hour before you plan to bake, adjust oven rack to low position and preheat to 450 degrees F.
4. Lift dough out of bowl and place in a lightly floured work surface. Using a chef's knife or a metal dough scraper, cut dough into halves, quarters or eighths, depending on number of pizzas desired. Cover dough balls waiting to be stretched with a damp cloth. Stretch dough to desired width and thickness.
5. Transfer dough to a pizza peel of pan that has been lightly coated with either semolina or cornmeal, brush entire surface very lightly with oil, then proceed with topping.

Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
Salt
Ground pepper

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand to blend flavors while making pizza. Season to taste with salt and pepper and spoon onto stretched pizza dough just before baking.

6. Top with a portion of tomato sauce (amount to your liking)
Then put a few of your chosen toppings, pepperoni, mushrooms etc... Immediately bake dough according to size...
two 14-inch thin pizzas
7 to 8 minutes; add cheese (a few more toppings) and cook, 2-3 minutes longer
four 11-to-12-inch thin pizzas
6 to 7 minutes;add cheese (toppings) and cook, 2-3 minutes longer
eight 8-inch thin pizzas
4 to 5 minutes; add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes longer
two 12-inch medium-thick pizzas
9 to 10 minutes; add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes longer
four 8-inch medium-thick pizzas
7 to 8 minutes; add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes longer
eight 6-inch medium-thick pizzas
5 to 6 minutes; add cheese and cook 2-3 minutes longer
*oven times may vary*
Cook until crust is a nice golden brown

This recipe has worked out great for us when we have pizza parties. You can pre-bake all of the crusts to the "Add cheese" part and once every one arrives, top each pizza with toppings and the pizzas are finished in 5 minutes or less each. No waiting for pizza, no cold pizza from baking them all ahead of time, just yummy, hot and ready! It's better than delivery!

Recipe courtesy of Pam Anderson -The Perfect Recipe- (Some changes made by us)