Homemade Pizza Margherita

Steps

1. 1In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 1 tablespoon of the flour, yeast, and 1/4 cup of the warm water. Stir until mostly combined (it's fine if there are a few lumps). Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until top looks foamy and bubbles form on the surface. If the top does not become foamy, your yeast may be bad or your water may have been too hot and killed it. Give it another try with a fresh packet.
2. 2Add 1 1/2 cup of the flour, remaining 1/2 cup of warm water (you may have to reheat it if it has cooled), salt, and olive oil and stir together.
3. 3If using a stand mixer: use the dough attachment on low and mix in 1/4-1/2 cup of flour until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead for 6-8 minutes on low until dough is smooth and elastic. When it's done, flour your hands and work surface and turn dough out. Knead 5-10 times until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour as necessary. Skip to step 5.
4. 4If kneading by hand: fill a 1/2-cup measuring cup full of flour. Using some of that flour, add to your dough, stirring in a little at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of your bowl. Use more of the flour to flour your hands and work surface very well. Turn dough out onto the surface and knead for about 8 minutes, adding flour from your cup any time the dough becomes sticky. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic and passes the windowpane test (dough is elastic enough that you can stretch it without tearing and when held up to the light, you can see light through it).
5. 5Pat dough with flour, place in a large bowl, cover with a clean towel, and place in a warm place. Allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
6. 6While the dough is rising, you are going to make the sauce. Using a blender or food processor pulse the tomatoes until mostly pureed with some pieces of tomato still intact--think salsa. (In a pinch, you could just really go to town with a pair of scissors in the can.)
7. 7Heat oil in a large pot (the pot is going to seem much too big, but this sauce likes to splatter and the larger pot will cut down on cooking time). Add garlic and cook until browned and fragrant. Add pureed tomatoes, sugar, and basil. Stir and bring to a simmer.
8. 8Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes (your cooking time can very greatly depending on the size of your pan and type of tomatoestirring occasionally until sauce has reduced down to about 3/4 cup.
9. 9Preheat oven to 500°F.
10. 10Cover pizza tray or cookie sheet with corn meal (the corn meal will keep your pizza from sticking). Turn your bowl of dough upside down over the tray and allow dough to drop out. If your dough is sticky, you can flour your hands. Gently stretch and manipulate dough to form a circle (or rectangle if making on a baking sheet). Spread sauce over your dough, leaving about an inch and a half of crust. Add mozzarella and top with optional tomato slices and more basil if desired*.
11. 11Bake 12-16 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is browned and bubbly.
12. 12Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.