BASIC PIZZA DOUGH
PG tested
Make the dough up to a day ahead. To store it, place each portion in a gallon ziptop freezer bag well oiled with cooking spray. Seal and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 1 month. Let it come to room temperature before using. The onion topping is only enough for one piece of dough; double it, or for your second pizza, use the mozzarella and tomato topping.
3¾ cups bread flour, leveled off
2½ teaspoons active dry yeast ¾ teaspoon fine salt ¾ teaspoon sugar 1½ cups water, room temperature Extra-virgin olive oil In medium bowl, stir together flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add water and with wooden spoon or your hand, mix until blended, at least 30 seconds. Dough will be soft and somewhat sticky but not loose. If very dry, add 1 tablespoon more water.
Cover bowl with dish towel (not terrycloth) and let sit at room temperature until more than doubled in volume, 2 to 2½hours.
Flour work surface. With bowl scraper or rubber spatula, remove dough from bowl onto work surface. Gently form into rough ball. Divide dough into 2 halves, shape again and place on floured work surface 4 inches apart. Cover pieces with a moistened dish towel. Let stand 30 minutes.
To make pizzas, heat oven to 500 degrees. Coat two 13by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets with 1½ tablespoons oil each.
Pick up dough and stretch it the length of baking sheet with floured side facing up. With palms, gently pull, press, and stretch dough to fill entire bottom of pan. If dough is pulling back, let it rest a few minutes and try again. If it sticks to fingers, oil or flour them. Pinch any holes together. Repeat with second piece of dough. Add toppings, as below.