New York-Style Pizza Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

* 2/3 cup warm water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon cornmeal -- optional

Directions:

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except cornmeal in bread machine pan in order specified by owner's manual. Program dough cycle setting; press start. Remove dough from bread machine pan; let rest 2 to 3 minutes.

Pat and gently stretch dough from edges until dough seems to not stretch anymore. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes more. Continue patting and stretching until dough is 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Spray 12- to 14-inch pizza pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal, if desired. Press dough into pan.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Follow topping and baking directions for individual recipes, baking pizza on bottom rack of oven.