Personal Pepperoni Pizza

Step 1

Add warm water to a large bowl.Pro Tip: An instant-read thermometer is an accurate way of checking water temperature. The water should be between 100-110°F. If the water is too warm (over 130°F), it will kill the yeast. If you don't have a thermometer, feel the water with your fingertips. Water should be comfortably warm, not at all hot.

Step 2

Add yeast to the water. Wait about 2 minutes until you see bubbles forming. The mixture should look slightly foamy.

Step 3

Stir in the sugar, salt, garlic powder, and olive oil.

Step 4

Add in the flour and mix the dough with a spoon until the dough comes together. If necessary, add a bit more flour so the dough can be worked without feeling too wet.Your dough will be shaggy and lumpy but will become smooth after kneading.

Step 5

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Add more flour, a teaspoon at a time, if the dough remains too sticky to knead. After kneading the dough should feel soft and smooth.

Step 6

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.Pro Tip: Dough won't rise if the room you're using is too cold. I often put the dough in my oven to rise. To do this, preheat your oven for 1 minute, turn it off, and place the dough bowl inside. Ensure the oven doesn't get too hot or you'll need to wait for it to cool off. Sometimes, just leaving the light on in your oven will provide enough warmth without turning on the oven.

Step 7

While the dough is resting and rising, heat olive oil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 30 seconds.

Step 8

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, dried basil, and salt. Stir to combine.

Step 9

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 10

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 11

Punch the dough down to release the trapped air. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands or a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle or press it into a lightly greased small rectangular pan.Pro Tip: I find that a 9x13-inch baking sheet is a perfect size to use. If you're having trouble getting the dough to roll out as thin as you'd like, let the dough rest under a kitchen towel for 10 minutes, then continue to roll out.

Step 12

Pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.

Step 13

Use a fork to poke holes over the dough to prevent any bubbles from forming while it bakes.

Step 14

Brush the top of the crust lightly with olive oil. Add the sauce in a light layer and spread it all around the pizza, leaving about ½-inch space around the edges.

Step 15

Sprinkle the pizza with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 16

Top the pizza with slices of pepperoni.

Step 17

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.