Ingredients
Scale
**Pizza Dough**
- 2.5 cups warm water (about 110ºF)
- 1 package dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 – 5.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup olive oil
**Pizza Toppings**
- 3 cups pizza sauce
- 3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage (uncooked and broken into small pieces)
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
- 2 medium green bell peppers (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of flour. Whisk until blended.
- Add 4 more cups of flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon. If dough is sticky, add remaining ½ cup of flour.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, then shape into a ball.
- Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place dough inside, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm, dark place for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease two baking sheets with olive oil.
- After proofing, punch dough down and divide in half. Roll out each half to fit a baking sheet.
- Transfer rolled dough to baking sheets. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Decide on crust thickness. For thicker crust, skip second punch-down.
- Spread sauce on dough, leaving a 1-inch crust. Add cheeses, toppings, and seasoning.
- Bake at 450ºF for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375ºF and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then slice. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and extra parmesan.
Notes
- Recipe makes 2 sheet pan-sized pizzas.
- Proof dough in a warm oven if climate is cold.
- Freeze extra dough for later use.
- Let dough rise twice for best results.
- Monitor pizza while baking, as oven temperatures vary.
- Customize toppings to your taste preferences.