Pizza is everybody's favorite - I mean, do you know of anyone who doesn't like it? I made this pizza a few days ago and served it as an appetizer - but it would have been great paired with a green salad for dinner. The basic pizza dough is so simple and really takes very little time - and it tastes so much bette
r than the pizza crusts you purchase. 
The total rising time is only an hour - and you'll get two 12" to 14" pizza crusts out of this recipe. The mister and I always have a "discussion" about what to put on our pizza - so that's why I like this recipe, it makes a HIS and HER pizza....end of discussion!
If you're tempted to throw the pizza into the air for a little spin - go for it - but remember, what goes up must come down and it usually comes down in worse shape than when it went up - at least that's been my experience. I leave the throwing to the professionals.
Pizza Ai Funghi - Mushroom Pizza
Basic Pizza Dough:
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
pinch sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating bowl
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary
In a large bowl combine yeast with water and sugar and stir well to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, olive oil and half of the flour and mix well to thoroughly combine. Add remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands, working to incorporate the flour little by little. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for at least 5 and up to 7 minutes, adding enough additional flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 500 degrees, and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven. Divide dough into 2 portions (for two 12 to 14-inch pizzas) and form into balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer dough to a pizza peel and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the toppings and the thickness of the crust. I baked mine for about 17 minutes - I wanted a crispier crust so it would be more like a foccacia slice since I was serving it as an appetizer. Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately. (A pizza peel is a round metal tray that the pizza is prepared on - if using a pizza stone then you would use the peel to slide the pizza off and on to when done. But you can also skip the pizza stone thing and bake it on the peel or you can use the backside of a cookie sheet if you don't have a round tray.)
Mushroom Topping:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
10 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoons fresh, chopped oregano
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
White Truffle and Mushroom Oil
In small skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, parsley, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are slightly soft and have released some of their liquid, about 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so until the mushrooms start to shrink slightly.
When dough is prepared, spread the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the dough. Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the top. Top this with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with the truffle and mushroom oil on top. Place on pizza stone, if using, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until top is bubbly and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven, slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
