Individual Cheese and Pepperoni Pizzas

Ingredients
Dough

• 1 (1/4 ox package or (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2/3 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping

• cornmeal for sprinkling the baking sheets
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 pound whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated( 2/3 cup)
• freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling the pizzas if desired
• 36 thin slices of pepperoni
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Method 
Dough

In a large bowl of an electric mixer proof the yeast with the sugar in 1/3 cup of the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy, stir in the remaining 1/3 cup water, the oil, 2 cups of the flour and the salt; blend the mixture until it forms a dough. fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead the dough incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down. (Or you can do what I do, go to your local bakery, and ask if they have any left over pizza dough, it's real cheap and much easier) But if you would like to do it by scratch this is how you do it.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and on a floured surface roll out each piece into a 6 inch round. Transfer the rounds to baking sheets, oiled and sprinkled with cornmeal and spread each of the rounds with 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the rounds evenly with the mozzarella and Parmesan and top with the pepperoni. Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle the round with oil. Bake the pizzas on the bottom rack of a preheated 500°F oven for 10 minutes or until pizza crusts are golden brown.

Serves 6

Submitted: R.J. Grolier