DOUGH 1. Pour warm water into a bowl. Add sugar and yeast. Stir gently and let stand for 5–10 minutes until foamy. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. 3. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour. 4. Mix with a spoon until a rough dough forms. 5. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. 6. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size. 7. Punch down the dough. Shape into a ball and let rest 10 minutes before stretching. TOPPING 8. Preheat oven to 475–500°F (245–260°C). Place a baking stone or baking sheet inside to preheat. 9. Wash tomatoes and slice thinly. Lightly salt and set aside. Slice or tear mozzarella and pat dry. 10. Stretch dough into a 10–12 inch circle on parchment paper. 11. Spread tomato sauce evenly, leaving a small border. 12. Distribute mozzarella over the sauce. Arrange tomatoes on top. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle oregano if using. 13. Transfer pizza (with parchment) onto the hot surface. Bake 8–12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven. Add fresh basil if desired. Slice and serve immediately.

   1. Heat the water to 110 F or 45 C. 2. In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir gently, cover with clean kitchen towel and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until the mixture become foamy. 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir until the dough begins to come together. 4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes). 5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. 6. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Shape the dough into a long loaf or divide it into two small loaves. 7. Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 8. Cover the shaped dough with a damp cloth and let it rise for 40 min. 9. Preheat oven to 400 F(200 C). 10. Optionally: brush the top of loaf with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 11. Use a sharp knife to make 2-3 shallow slashes diagonally across the top of the loaf. 12. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. 13. Allow the bread to cool before slicing.