The trick with pizza dough is taming what Julia Child charmingly calls the "gluten cloak." If the dough is worked too much before forming, the gluten "tightens up" and won't let you roll it out. Work the risen dough as little as possible so you don't re-activate the gluten.

I have streamlined the directions below. I have a file about bread-making basics if you'd like more detail about individual steps.

1 pkg yeast
1/2 c lukewarm water
1/2 t salt
1 T olive oil
2 c flour
1/2 c more water

Put yeast and warm water in bowl and stir. Set aside until foamy; this will take about 10 minutes. (Don't put salt in yeast "sponge," as salt inhibits yeast.)

Throw in oil, flour, salt. Mix and knead. Let rise 'til double in oiled bowl covered with piece of oiled Saran Wrap. The top of the water heater in my apartment was a good place to set my bread to rise; the oven with the light bulb on also works, but is less efficient. (I confess that sometimes I put the oven on the lowest setting for 5 min., then turn it off, keep the door open for a minute or so, and then put the dough in to rise. Where I live is sometimes too cool for counter-top rising, and the top of my water heater is in the garage, along with the water heater, so that's not an option anymore.)

Grease cookie sheet.

Punch down. Turn out on floured board and work just a little more flour in if it feels sticky. If not sticky, roll out. I suggest you divide the dough into two pieces, especially if you are using a round pizza pan.

If the dough "springs back on you," the gluten is wanting to return to its previous size/shape. Solution is to let it relax a little while; try 5 minutes. This usually is enough so the dough is workable again but doesn't start rising again. If you prefer, shape dough in the pan, pushing to the edges with your hands, but you'll still have to deal with the gluten problem.

If you use a plain cookie sheet, make little edges on the dough so the sauce won't spill out. I like a jellyroll pan (it has sides on it) to corral the sauce. Let rise just a tad, like about 10 minutes. Not too long.

Put on homemade spaghetti sauce, commercial sauce, slices of tomato and bell pepper, or whatever you want. Bake at 400 degrees. Yield: one pizza.

If you don't have time for yeast dough, try the recipe for a pour-on crust, which is a real life-saver! This recipe is from my sister, Ellen ("Miss Ellen," as she is known, since she and her family live in the South).

Note on rising: The top of the water heater in my apartment was a good place to set my bread to rise. Where I live now the top of my water heater is in the garage, along with the rest of the water heater, so that's not an option anymore.

Sometimes it is too cool even for counter-top rising. The oven with the light bulb on also works but is less efficient. I do not recommend letting the dough rise outside in the sunlight.

I confess that sometimes I put the oven on the lowest setting for 5 minutes, turn it off, keep the door open for a minute or so to drive out most of the heat, and then put the dough in to rise. If you try this, use the lowest rack setting. I'm sure you don't want to find this dough on your broiler elements!