3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cup distilled water (or reverse osmosis water

Optional but recommended: garlic powder, additional salt, oregano, salted butter

Put flour into a bowl.

Add yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl (salt will kill the yeast and inhibit your rise)

Add water and mix

Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about ~ 10 minutes

Shape into a ball (bread term meaning to pull sides down and gather to the bottom of the dough to make into a ball. Go around the dough and get all sides. You want a somewhat taut surface, pull sides and gather at the bottom as needed)

Let rise until double the size (about two hours)

Gently pull dough out of the bowl. Do not punch it; that breaks the gluten matrix built up during the rise. It is totally unnecessary, be gentle.

Divide into four or more and shape your pizza. Use a rolling pin if easier. No rules. (Optional: Make dough on corn meal or a light dust of flour if using a pizza stone so that it’ll transfer easier onto the stone. I use make pizzas on parchment paper and transfer that on to the stone)

Before adding sauce and topping, I recommend sprinkling a light dusting of garlic powder. After adding toppings, sprinkle a little salt (if using low moisture mozzarella) and a little oregano. A little oregano goes a long way.

Bake your pizza on a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a pizza stone. For a crisper crust, bake at 450. For a softer, chewier crust bake at 400. It’ll take longer but my kids prefer the softer bread over crust.

Take out pizza and brush crust with butter (optional). Cut and serve. (Unlike a loaf, it does not need to rest before cutting)