Simple Homemade Thin-Crust Pizza

This pizza is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner for any group of people. For the crust, you can either buy a ball of dough from a pizza parlor or, if you have an hour of free time, you can do as we did and make your own.

For the dough: mix 1/2 cup warm water with 2 teaspoons dry active yeast in a small bowl. Let the mixture stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon in a food processor. Blend in 3 tablespoons olive oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been brushed with olive oil, and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. After an hour, punch down the dough and form it into a ball. The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Roll out the dough onto a 13x8-inch rectangular baking sheet. If the dough is not stretchy enough to roll with a rolling pin, you can press it out with your fingers. Stretch the dough thin, covering the entire baking sheet.

3. Once you are finished rolling out the dough, use a fork to make small holes to help air escape, so that air bubbles don't form.

4. Brush about 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the crust with a marinating brush.

5. Spoon pre-made tomato sauce (we used DelAllo brand) onto crust and spread evenly.

6. Sprinkle tomato sauce with about 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 2 cloves of fresh, finely chopped garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. (For a spicy kick, also sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes.)

7. Top sauce with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and any other toppings you prefer. We covered half of the pizza with slices of onion and yellow pepper.

8. Cook pizza at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or when cheese is brown and bubbly. Let pizza cool for a couple of minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!