Pizza from scratch is secretly easy

Everyone loves a moment with good pizza. Sometimes it is lovely to be out enjoying a wood fired, thin crust pizza with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, and a glass of Italian wine. Other times it great curling up to a movie with a quirky delivery pizza with a spicy Indian curry sauce and tandoori chicken. It may be that slice of pizzeria pepperoni at 1 AM after a night out with friends that is so hot it burns the roof of your mouth while you happily devour it.

I love all occasions of pizza. One that is fun and easier than one would think is to make your own. I found this basic recipe for pizza dough when I was 15 years old in my mom's Sicilian Gentleman's Cookbook and have been making it ever since. Once you get this dough down, you will have the keys to the unlimited possibilities of pizza from scratch.

Pizza Margarita

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon (or 1 packet) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus a drizzle for the top of the pizza

1 cup tomato sauce

black pepper and salt

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1 bunch basil

2 cups grated mix of mozzarella, provolone, parmigiano

First thing is to make the dough. Put all the flour in a large bowl. Form a well in the center, where you will place the yeast and salt. Set a glass with warm water to the side and pour a third of it in the flour well. Whisk with a fork, gradually mixing in bits of the flour from the sides. When all the water is absorbed and it begins to get pasty, add a third more water, repeat, add the rest of the water and repeat again.

This part will make you feel really Italian....take off any rings, make sure your hands are clean, then get your fingers in the dough. Knead it methodically with the palms of your hands to absorb any remaining bits of flour and form into an smooth, evenly colored ball of dough. Coat the dough ball in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 20 minutes.

At this point you could do anything you liked...bake flat on a baking sheet, fold into stuffed calzones or crisp up on a pizza stone. I usually just go for my oven heated to 350 degrees on a square cookie sheet. Press the dough until it evenly fills out the sheet and is about 1/4 inch thick. Pour on the tomato sauce. Crank on black pepper, salt and chili flakes. Grab the bunch of basil, tear 2 or 3 times, then distribute all over the pizza. Spread cheese evenly and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil on top.

Pop the pizza into the oven for 20 minutes. You will see the edges of the crust get a little golden, and the cheese will be bubbly. Serve with a few more leaves of torn basil.