It’s Friday, and in our house that means homemade pizza. It wasn’t always homemade – we used to have a standing order at the local pizza shop. Then one day the kids and I decided it would be fun to make our own – and we’ve been doing it ever since! This recipe is my moms, she uses it in her garden sliced tomato pizza. It’s an incredible concoction of fresh sliced tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and topped with garlic and herbs. The final touch is a fresh grating of romano cheese. As soon as we get some garden tomatoes – I’ll post the recipe. You’ll love it.

The best part of this dough recipe is how fast it is – it only takes 20 minutes to rise!

Fast Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

1 package active dry yeast

3 cups of flour

In a large bowl, combine yeast and water, let sit until yeast is dissolved. Add salt, oil and 2 cups of the flour. Mix well. Add enough remaining flour to the dough until it is no longer sticky. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 – 7 minutes. Divide in two, place on an oiled baking sheet and cover with a towel. Let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes. Punch down, press into pizza tins that have been sprinkled with corn meal. I do mine free form on a baking sheet. Top as desired and bake in a 500 degree oven until the crust is golden, crispy and the cheese (if using) is melted.

The total cost for this recipe came in at $.35 – a significant savings from the store-bought kind!

Tip: I usually purchase my yeast in bulk, $4.68 for 2 pounds of active dry yeast. It will last me a year, kept in the refrigerator.

Do you make your own pizza? If so, do you have a “go to” pizza crust recipe?