Thin Pizza Crust Dough

If you are using the packaged pizza dough that you mix with water to make homemade pizza, just stop it right now and use this recipe. It really isn't any more work. If you are not making home made pizza at all, well you don't know what are missing

Preheat oven 500

.25 oz pkt active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup hot water
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp Italian herbs (I use Penzeys mix but even some basil would be good)
1/4 Cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water and wisk it up a bit. The sugar feeds the yeast. But you are not going to let this dough rise because it's thin crust --it's actually pretty thick but it doesn't get soggy this way. Wait till the yeast starts bubbling and add about 3/4 cup flour and all the other ingredients. Then the rest of the flour and get your hands in it and knead it up a bit.

I like to put olive oil on my hands and then work with the dough so it is covered in oil. I also spray my pizza pan. Spread the dough out to the ends of the pan. Put whatever you like on it. We like red onions and red bell peppers and spinach and Italian sausage and pepperoni and mozerella cheese - especially the fresh stuff! It looks really pretty and tastes good to sprinkle the cheese with basil. Bake for 10-12 minutes - keep an eye on it - when the crust is golden and before the cheese burns.

I used to make heart shaped pizzas on Valentine's Day for my kids.