Pizza Dough

For one small pizza:

1) Pour out 1/2 cup (118mL) water

2) Stir in about 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast, and about as much sugar, olive oil and salt (I do a little less sugar)

3) Stir in as much bread flour as the water will take, which will probably be no more than a cup (120g). Don't knead with your hands yet.

4) Cover and let autolyse (just sit there) for 15-30 minutes.

5) The dough should now be stickier and therefore able to accept more flour: again, stir in as much as you can with just the spoon.

6) Cover and let rise until doubled, about two hours.

7) Punch the dough down, and then if it still feels stickier than you want it (generally stickier is tastier but harder to work with), you could work in some more flour now, especially if you use your hands.

8) Prepare an individual rising vessel for each dough portion (I oil a 1-quart resealable glass container), pull the dough into individual portions if you're making more than one, cover and let rest at least 30 min before stretching and baking. At this stage, I like to transfer it to the refrigerator and let age up to a week, for stronger flavor.