Pizza Dough with a Kick

I love making my own pizza dough. It's so easy and so much better than buying a commercial pizza dough or commercial pizza for that matter. I really hope you will give this a try. And please, if you make your own variation, let  me know -- I'd love to try it!

• 2-2/3 cup white flour, plus 2 tbs kept aside
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbs crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 scant cup warm water (about 100⁰)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbs dry yeast
• olive oil

  Add honey and yeast to cup of warm water. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes or until a froth forms on top. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl add flour, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt. Mix well and push mixture toward outside edge of bowl to form a depression in the middle. Pour water mixture into depression then stir into flour mixture with a wooden spoon. After everything comes together into a wet dough, use one hand to knead the dough into a consistent mass, using the other hand to turn bowl while kneading.

  Turn dough out of bowl onto a clean working surface and knead the dough, adding small amounts of the reserved 2 tbs of flour to keep it from sticking to the work surface. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes, then let dough rest for 1 to 2 minutes, using the time to clean and dry the bowl the dough was originally mixed in. Knead dough again for another 5 to 7 minutes. Add a small amount of olive oil to the now clean, original mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll around to coat with olive oil. Place a damps dish towel over the bowl and let it sit in a warm spot for 50 minutes, letting the dough rise.

Preheat oven to 400⁰. Spread a little olive oil over a 12 x 18 baking sheet. Roll dough out of bowl onto the baking sheet and use your fingers to press it out evenly over the surface of the baking sheet. If you own a pizza stone and prefer cooking on that, by all means -- use it!

  Create your pizza as you like. I used sliced plum tomatoes, julienned fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced prosciutto, and grated parmesan cheese. The pizza should take 25 to 30 minutes to cook in the 400⁰ oven. Remove from oven, remove from baking sheet, let cool for 5 minutes, then slice and enjoy!