click to enlarge

It's been said that pizza is like sex -- even when it's bad, it's still somewhat good. But why settle for mediocre sex, er, pizza? There are a vast array of choices out there, from large chain delivery to frozen to gourmet, but making homemade pizza is rewarding and, with a little preparation, can be ready to eat in the same amount of time it takes for delivery.

I've often heard people say that getting the crust right is tricky, attributing this to Florida's water quality and high humidity. Alas, my husband has defied these notions with his pizza crust recipe. He has made both deep dish and thin crust style, both results being tender, chewy and crispy. Sometimes he even grills our pizza, the char and smokiness adding an extra flavor dimension.

This recipe is for four mini pizzas but you can make two larger ones if you like, just increase the baking time and lower oven temperature to 425 degrees. You can also double the recipe in order to freeze some of the dough balls for later use. When building your pizza use your imagination -- 'decorating' is the most fun part! It can be as basic as sauce and cheese or as fancy as brie and truffle oil. We make the personal-sized pizzas so each of us can have different toppings.

Baking is a precise science, so crust ingredients need to be weighed with a kitchen scale for accuracy. This recipe's ingredients are listed by weight, not by volume.

Perfect homemade pizza crust

Difficulty level: 3 (out of 5)

Yield: approx. 4 - 8 inch mini or 2- 16 inch pizzas

16 ounces (by weight) warm water

1 package dry yeast (1/4 oz)

1/2 ounce sugar

1 pound, 10 ounces all purpose flour (plus more for rolling out dough)

2 ounzes extra virgin olive oil

1 ounce Kosher salt

Cornmeal or semolina

1. In large mixing bowl combine warm (110 degree) water with yeast and sugar. Add flour and oil and mix until incorporated. Add salt and knead with your hands on a floured surface, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on #2 speed, for 10 minutes. Add more flour as necessary if dough is too wet or sticky. Finished dough should be slightly tacky and spring back at the touch.

2. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls. If freezing any of the dough balls (instructions below) do so now before proofing. Brush dough balls with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let sit for approximately 45 minutes until almost doubled in size. While dough is proofing prepare whatever toppings you want to use.

3. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Have all your toppings prepared and ready to go. Roll out each crust using a rolling pin and/or your hands to stretch to desired thinness leaving a thicker 1/4 inch edge on perimeter. On 2 ungreased cookie sheets sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina place 2 of the crusts on each. Brush them with olive oil and top with your desired sauce, cheese, meats and/or veggies.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crusts are golden and crispy (check from the bottom to be sure the centers are done).

*If freezing dough balls, place them in a container leaving room for expansion. Brush with oil and cover with plastic wrap or lid. After completely frozen, wrap individually and store frozen up to one month. To use, thaw for 1-2 hours before rolling out.