Amy's Rustic Pizza Dough

1 env. dry yeast (2.5 tsp)
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 c lukewarm water
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil

1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup pizza sauce

Stir yeast and sugar into water. Set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add yeast mixture to flour and salt in a large bowl and knead until dough is combined. Dough should be a little sticky. Do not add more flour. If it needs more water, add a tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pick up dough and throw it down hard 8 or 9 times, using dough scraper to scrape up any stuck to the surface. Knead several times. dusting with a little flour at this point if dough is still too sticky to handle. Continue throwing and kneading until smooth and no longer sticky (1-2 mins). Lightly oil dough and place in a bowl large enough to allow dough to double in volume. Cover bowl and let stand at room temperature until doubled in size. Do not punch dough down. With floured hands, gently remove dough from bowl and slice into 2 equal sections (I just make one large pizza). Lightly oil the pizza pan and then wipe off the excess oil.

I then bake the dough at 450 for around 10 minutes, or until slightly brown. Then add sauce, cheese, and toppings, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DUNCSTA.