Pizza

This is how I've made it since my little sister bought me my first cookbook with a pizza recipe in it. I can call it mine because I've perfected it from that version. :-) Makes about three large pizzas.

Crust:
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 c warm water (warm to the touch but not hot)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 c flour

Let first four ingredients sit until the yeast is spongy (shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes). Add flour bit by bit until dough forms. Coat hands with olive oil and mix until the rest of the flour is in. Let rise in a warm place for at least one hour. Spread out with oil or flour and let rise in pan another hour, making sauce or cutting toppings in the meantime.

Sauce:
1 can tomato sauce or 6 skinned, chopped tomatoes
1 onion
5 large chopped mushrooms (optional)
1 clove garlic
fistful thyme
pinch oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin

Sauté onion and mushrooms in olive oil. Add garlic. When translucent, add chopped tomatoes and 1/4 c cold tap water. Stir until the tomatoes get mushy. Add spices to taste. Cumin makes the tomatoes taste less tinny, in my opinion. Once tender, mash tomatoes. Adding tomato sauce from the can also works, although fresh tomatoes are better.

Push down risen dough in pan, cover with tomato sauce, 2 cups grated mozarella per pizza and toppings of choice. Bake at 400 F until dough is crispy and toppings are golden, about 20 minutes.