STRAIGHT FROM NEW YORK PIZZA RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in small bowl; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Sprinkle yeast on top; stir to combine.
• Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until foamy.
• Combine flour and salt in medium bowl.
• Stir in yeast mixture.
• Mix until mixture forms soft dough.
• Remove dough to lightly floured surface.
• Knead 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.
• Place dough in medium bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray.
• Turn dough in bowl so top is coated with cooking spray; cover with towel or plastic wrap.
• Let rise in warm place 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down; place on lightly floured surface and knead about 2 minutes or until smooth.
• Pat dough into flat disc about 7 inches in diameter.
• 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.
• Continue patting and stretching until dough is 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
• Spray 12- to 14-inch pizza pan with nonstick spray; sprinkle with commeal, if desired.
• Press dough into pan.
• Preheat oven to 5OOF.
• Follow directions for individual recipes, baking pizza on bottom rack of oven.

Steps:

• Put 1 3/4 cups/420 milliliters lukewarm water in a mixing bowl (use a stand mixer or food processor if you prefer). Sprinkle yeast over water and let dissolve, about 2 minutes.
• Add flour, salt and olive oil and mix well until flour is incorporated and dough forms, about 5 minutes. It may look a little rough or pockmarked.
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn dough out onto surface and knead lightly until it looks smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces, about 8 ounces/225 grams each.
• Wrap dough pieces individually in resealable zipper bags and refrigerate for several hours or, for best results, overnight; you can also freeze it for future use. (You can skip this rise in the refrigerator and use the dough right away, but this cool, slow rise makes it easier to stretch and gives the pizza a crisper texture and more nuanced flavor.)
• To use dough, form each piece into a smooth, firm ball, and place on a flour-dusted or parchment-lined baking sheet. (If you froze the dough, leave it at room temperature for several hours first, or defrost overnight in the refrigerator.) Flour lightly, cover loosely with plastic wrap and top with a kitchen towel. Leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Each dough ball with make a 10-inch diameter pizza.