Sponge Dough

Photo: flickr user sk8geek

Ingredients

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

3 cups flour

cup lukewarm water

teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Prepare dough sponge and proof yeast by mixing yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water with 1/2 teaspoon honey in the water. Let stand 20 mins until mixture is foamy. If the mixture is not foamy throw out and start over. Mix 1/2 of remaining flour with salt, remaining water with remaining honey dissolved in it, olive oil and dough sponge. Mix remaining flour-dough should be slightly sticky. Knead 15 mins. on a floured surface until smooth. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise until double, 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch down and divide in half. Dust portions with flour and put in Ziploc bags in the freezer for 30 mins. to stop the rising. Remove and put in the fridge until ready to use. Remove dough from the refrigerator when ready to shape dough. Punch down dough thoroughly and spread/stretch dough on a greased pizza pan. Move crust to a pizza peel spread with cornmeal. Add sauce and toppings and bake at 500 degrees directly on a pizza stone.for 8-10 mins. or until crust is golden. Cool 2-3 mins. on wire rack before cutting.

Makes two 13" pizza crusts.

NOTES : The best pizza crust ever.