, but since then we've been using a different recipe for the crust that I like a lot more. it's from the breadbaker's apprentice, and it makes an awesome crumb. recipe below, plus a recipe for the basic tomato sauce that i use for pizzas & pastas.
BBA Pizza Dough
Makes 6 medium pizzas
4 1/2 cups flour (bread flour is best)
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 3/4 cups cold water
Mix the dry ingredients, then add the water and start mixing with your hands. Once it's homogenous, dump the dough onto a floured cutting board, wash your hands, and start kneading it. Keep your hands wet throughout the process to keep them from getting doughy. Knead for A LONG TIME. When it's done, the dough should be smooth, springy, and tacky but not so wet that it sticks to the cutting board or your hands - you can add more flour/water as you go to achieve the right texture. If you want you can cut the dough into 2 balls and knead them separately to make it easier.
Cut the dough into 6 equal sections. Roll into balls, dust with flour, put on a floured cutting board with at least a few inches between each one, cover with a plastic bag, and let rest in the refrigerator at least overnight and for up to 2 days.
On the day you're making the pizza, take the dough out 2 hours before baking time. Squish the balls into flat discs, and then let them rise, covered (to prevent the surface from hardening). 20 minutes before bake time, put a baking stone in the oven and preheat to as high as your oven will go. then grab a pizza lump, stretch it to a circle (don't use a rolling pin - you'll crush the bubbles!), out in on a floured baking sheet or cutting board, top with ingredients (no need to roll the crust - it puffs up on its own), and slide onto the top pizza stone. bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned.
Basic marinara
1 small onion, diced
~1 tbs dried oregano and/or basil (optional)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
~2 tbs brown sugar
1 big can crushed tomatoes
heat up a bit of olive oil in a pot. Saute the onions with some brown sugar and salt (and optional oregano/basil) on medium, stirring frequently, until light brown. toss in the garlic and cook another minute, then add the crushed tomatoes. cook everything on low heat for a long time (40 minutes?), stirring often - you can add more water if it gets too thick. taste and adjust - it will need lots of black pepper, probably more salt, and maybe more sugar to balance the acidity. if it is really too acidic, you can add a TINY BIT of baking soda or powder to neutralize it, but beware - if you add more than a pinch your sauce will be creepily flavorless. If you're putting this on pasta, I would puree it afterward to make it smooth.
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