Basic Pizza Dough Recipe2

Ingredients:

* 3 1/4 cups unbleached flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 cup warm water
* 1 envelope active dry yeast
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the flour and salt, and mix thoroughly. In a separate stainless steel bowl, combine the water and yeast, and using a whisk, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Pour the water into the center of the flour, and with a spatula, stir to combine well into a sticky mass. Pour this mass out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead the dough by working the dough with the heel of the palm of your hand. Push outward and pull the inside edge over the top. Repeating the process over again to create a smooth ball of dough free of stickiness. Place the ball of dough into a clean stainless steel bowl that has been brushed with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size. When the dough has risen it can be divided in half and the two pieces formed into two balls which will later be patted into the traditional pizza shape.