The Dough

If making your pizza dough from scratch sounds too daunting, begin with a ready-made dough available in your regular grocery store. Trader Joe's has great fresh pizza dough and there are also several box mixes to get you started. Some pizza parlors will also sell dough if you ask. Once you get a feel for the dough's consistency you can try your hand at making the dough from scratch.

Basic dough ingredients include flour, salt, yeast and water. Variations on the dough may include garlic, herbs, honey and whole wheat flour. By making dough from scratch you control the quality of ingredients and the final product! There are many recipe books with dough and topping ideas to inspire you.

Whether using from-scratch or pre-made dough, you must let it rest. Set it aside on the pizza peel for at least 20 minutes. Now is a good time to preheat your oven or grill. Sprinkle flour under the dough ball to prevent it from sticking to the peel.

Once your dough has rested, it's time to roll...or pull! If you use a rolling pin, roll from the center of the dough outward, rotating the dough as needed to maintain an even thickness and shape. Flip the dough over, roll and repeat until you are satisfied with the size. Some find it easier to gently pull the dough from the center to shape it, instead of rolling. Find the method that works for you...heck, even toss that dough high into the air. Just make sure you have backup! Once your dough is shaped, don't forget to sprinkle cornmeal underneath it! This is an important element to help the dough slide off the peel and onto the stone. Use a lot as this will prevent the frustration of standing over a hot oven with a pizza stuck on the peel!

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