Step 1

By Hand: Add the warm water, yeast, and sugar to a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir. Add the olive oil, 00 flour and sea salt. Mix with a spatula until a thick dough has formed. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead with your hands until a smooth and slightly sticky dough has formed, about 5 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, put back into the bowl and cover with a heavy towel. Let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes. Then follow the instructions below for fermenting.

Step 2

Bread Machine: Add the ingredients into the bread maker pan in the order recommended by your manufacturer, select the dough/pizza dough setting and 2 pound loaf, and press start (if you've cut the recipe in half to make 1 pizza, choose 1 pound loaf). The dough setting takes between 90 and 100 minutes on most bread machines. When the cycle is complete, remove the dough and follow the instructions below for fermenting.*Pay careful attention to the dough during the first 10 minutes of kneading. If the dough appears too dry and it's not shaping into a smooth springy ball, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Step 3

Fermentation: Separate the dough to make 2 equal pieces. Punch them down a few times and shape into balls. Put into two oiled gallon freezer bag or bowls covered tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge and let rest for 12-24 hours. Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature 4 hours before shaping and cooking.

Step 4

Place a pizza stone into the oven and preheat to 500° Fahrenheit. Once preheated, begin creating the pizza. The stone should remain in the heated oven for about 20 minutes before putting on the pizza. Cover a pizza peel with a generous amount of flour (this keeps the dough from sticking so you can transfer it easily to the hot stone). Place one ball of dough onto the floured peel and begin stretching it into the shape of a circle. Do this by pushing down on the middle of the dough without touching the edges. Push the dough outward until it forms a 12 inch circle with a 1/2 to 1 inch raised edge. It's important to keep from pressing down on the edge (the crust). If you press the edges flat, you'll let out the gasses that create an airy and bubbly pizza crust.

Step 5

Use a blender to puree the plum tomatoes until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season with a few sprinkles of sea salt and twists of freshly ground black pepper. Working quickly, spread about 1/3 cup of pureed tomato sauce onto the dough without pressing down. Evenly space half of the sliced mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Lightly brush some of the edges with sauce to create a golden crust.

Step 6

Cover the pizza stone with a generous amount of cornmeal. Carefully slide the pizza off the peel and onto the stone (do not remove it from the oven). If the pizza becomes stuck, gently guide it off with a spatula. The longer the pizza is left uncooked on the peel, the greater chance it has of sticking. Bake for 14 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown and the crust is golden brown.

Step 7

Remove from the pizza stone using the pizza peel. Top with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and sea salt. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat steps 1-4 for the second pizza.