Cheeseboard Yeasted Pizza Dough

Makes 3 10" pizza crusts
Prep time: 2 hours

1 TB dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups luke warm water
2 TB olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl, whisk the yeast with the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

If using stand mixer, all the olive oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour to the bowl. Mix for 5 minutes to form a wet dough. Add 1 1/2 cups more flour, and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour by the tablespoon as needed to form a soft dough with a nice sheen; it should be a little sticky, but not too wet.

If making by hand, add the olive oil, salt and 2 cups of flour to the bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mix for at least 5 minutes to form a wet dough. Pour 1 1/2 cups flour onto a work surface, place the dough on top of it, and knead it for about 8 minutes to form a soft dough with a nice sheen; it should be sticky but not too wet. If the dough sticks to the work surface, rub a little olive oil on it. if the dough is impossibly sticky, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour by the tablespoon as needed.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a large well oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Or, put the dough in the fridge and let rise overnight; the next day let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours before proceeding with recipe.

To shape the pizza, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 pieces. Gently form each piece into a loose round and cover with a floured kitchen towel. Let stand 20 minutes. Scatter cornmeal over 3 inverted baking sheets. Shape each round into a 10" disk.

Add toppings at this point.

Place baking sheet with a pizza on the lower rack and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pizza to the upper rack, and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Then finish off baking the first pizza by sliding it off pan directly onto the lower rack. Bake for 4-8 minutes to crisp the bottom until well browned. Finish the 2nd and 3rd pizzas in the same manner.