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1. Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar into ¼ cup of lukewarm water. Be sure that the water is lukewarm (110° to 115°- neither hot nor cool to the touch). Let it stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir the yeast and sugar into the water until completely dissolved.
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2. Set the cup in a warm place (a turned off oven would be best) for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the yeast bubbles up and the mixture almost doubles in volume. If the yeast does not bubble, start over again with fresh yeast.
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3. Into a large mixing bowl, sift the all-purpose flour and salt, or pour in the granulated flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour into it the yeast mixture, 1 cup of lukewarm water and ¼ cup of the olive oil.
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4. Mix the dough with a fork or your fingers. When you can gather it into a rough ball, place the dough on a floured board and knead it for about 15 minutes, or until it is smooth, shiny and elastic.
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5. If you have an electric mixer with a paddle and dough hook, all the ingredients can be placed in a bowl and, at medium speed, mixed with the paddle until they are combined. Then at high speed knead them with the dough hook for 6 to 8 minutes.
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6. Dust the dough lightly with flour, place it in a large clean bowl and cover with a plate or pot lid. Set the bowl in a warm draft-free spot (again, an oven with the heat turned off is ideal) for about 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
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7. Now preheat the oven to 500°. Punch the dough down with your fists and break off about one fourth of it to make the first of the 4 pizzas. Knead the small piece on a floured board or pastry cloth for a minute or so, working in a little flour if the dough seems sticky.
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8. With the palm of your hand, flatten the ball into a circle about 1 inch thick. Hold the circle in your hands and stretch the dough by turning the circle and pulling your hands apart gently at the same time.
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9. When the circle is about 7 or 8 inches across, spread it out on the floured board again and pat it smooth, pressing together any tears in the dough.
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10. Then roll the dough with a rolling pin, from the center to the far edge, turning it clockwise after each roll, until you have a circle of pastry about 10 inches across and about 1/8 inch thick.
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11. With your thumbs, crimp or flute the edge of the circle until it forms a little rim. Dust a large baking sheet lightly with corn meal and gently place the pizza dough on top of it.
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12. Knead, stretch and roll the rest of the dough into 3 more pizzas. Pour ½ cup of the tomato sauce on each pie and swirl it around with a pastry brush or the back of a spoon.
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13. To make a cheese pizza, sprinkle the sauce with ½ cup of grated mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
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14. Dribble 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the pizza and bake it on the lowest shelf or the floor of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling bubbling hot.
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ALTERNATIVE GARNISHES:
1. You may top the pizza with almost any sort of seafood, meat or vegetable you like, using or omitting the mozzarella or Parmesan. Swirl the pie with ½ cup of tomato sauce first, as for a cheese pizza.
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2. Then top with such garnishes as shrimp, anchovies, sausage or peperoni slices, prosciutto slivers, tiny meatballs, garlic slices, strips of green pepper, capers, whole or sliced mushrooms.
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3. They may be used alone or in suitable combinations. Dribble 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the pizza after garnishing and before baking it.
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