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1
In a bowl, combine the dry yeast and sugar with the lukewarm water and olive oil.
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2
Whisk, briefly, to dissolve everything and let it proof for 5-10 minutes.
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3
You will know when to stop when the liquid looks all frothy as if it were covered in sea foam.
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4
In a separate bowl -preferably the working bowl of your stand mixer- (this is a stand-mixer recipe; if you want to do it by hand, see below) combine the two types of flour, the salt, and the garlic powder.
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5
Add the dried basil by rubbing the leaves together between your fingertips to reduce it to a powder.
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6
Mix the dry ingredients together until everything is equally distributed.
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7
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine.
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8
If in a stand-mixer, use your dough-hook.
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9
Beat the combined dough at the highest speed you can for 5 - 6 minutes.
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10
ALTERNATIVE: If doing this by hand, dust your counter top with a little bit of flour to prevent sticking and start folding the mixed dough over with your hands, and pressing it flat.
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11
Turn 45-degrees, fold, press, and repeat.
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12
Knead like this with your full-strength for about 7 minutes.
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13
Lightly spread some olive oil around the sides of a clean, large bowl as well as on the surface of the rounded dough ball you have made.
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14
Place the dough into this bowl.
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15
Cover the top of the bowl with a clean light-weight towel, place it in a warm part of the room, and let it rise for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
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16
When it has risen, divide the dough into two balls and roll it out to an oval about the size of your pizza stone.
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17
Once you have your round, flat dough ready, put it on a cutting board or other, flat surface with a small dusting of yellow corn meal beneath it.
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18
This is an old trick that I learned while making pizzas, years ago, in a restaurant.
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19
The corn meal will allow the dough to slide around easily and will help when you go to slide it into your heated oven and onto the pizza stone.
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20
Add your sauce and desired pizza toppings (try to keep it to 3 or less, including cheese, for the best results) and place on a hot stone or pan that is in an already-hot 450-degree (Fahrenheit) oven.
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21
NOTE: A good pattern I have learned from years of making pizza is: first layer - sauce, second layer - half of your cheese, third layer - your non-cheese toppings, and fourth layer - the remainder of your cheese.
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22
Cook for 13 - 16 minutes or until any cheese turns brown in little spots.
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23
Let your pizza rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
