Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust

This crust is extremely versatile and easy to work with. I make square and round pizzas, depending on how many people are eating. I only have two pizza pans so frequently I end up making square pizzas on cookie sheets. I am not a fan of pizza sauce (gasp, I know, whatever), my youngest daughter prefers a thicker crust, and my hubby loves having leftovers, so I make everyone separate pizzas. For my sauceless pizzas, I brush with a light coating of butter and shake a little bit of garlic salt before adding cheese.

When you dump the dough onto the floured surface, it’ll be extremely wet, it’s supposed to be that way, so if you’ve never made this before, don’t get discouraged.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water (105°-110°)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for floured surface)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to it’s highest position. Preheat the oven to 500°F, or its highest setting.
2. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast into the warm water and let it sit until foamy (about 5 minutes).
3. While the yeast is soaking, combine 1 cup of the flour and the salt in a separate large bowl. Stir until the salt is evenly mixed into the flour.
4. Add the flour mixed with salt into the yeast water, then stir with a wooden spoon until fairly smooth. Stir in an additional 1/2 cup flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, slowly adding up to 1/2 cup more flour as you go. Be sure to add the flour slowly as you knead to prevent it from becoming too dry and stiff.
5. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Divide it into two equal portions and form each piece into a ball. If you do not wish to make two pizzas immediately, the second ball of dough can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
6. Press the dough down into a flattened circular disk, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a thin circle, about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
7. Prepare a pizza pan with either non-stick spray or a combination of spray and cornmeal, then carefully place the dough onto the pan. Cook dough in preheated oven for 8 minutes then remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
8. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the surface, then bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or just until the edges develop a hint of color.
9. Remove the crust from the oven, add the rest of your toppings, then bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is a medium golden brown.