At the end of World War II our soldiers returned from Italy with a taste for a new dish. They clamored for this Italian treat described as a flat bread topped with tomato sauce and dressed up with peppers, onions, sausage and anchovies. While the anchovies haven’t remained as popular, the basic pizza certainly has.

While pizza delivery has become a big business people really don’t understand that they can make their own pizzas quickly and inexpensively. It is a great idea for entertaining small children; they love their pepperoni in smiley face shapes. And it is something an older child can do himself.

If you make your own dough you can use your mixer or food processor to do your kneading. You can also make a double recipe for the freezer. After it is mixed you can divide it into individual portions, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Before you leave for a day at work or even the night before, you can place the dough in the refrigerator to thaw.

Basic Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoons salt

Combine the water, yeast and 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the oil, salt and remaining flour (you may not need the entire amount, so add the last half gradually). With your hands or a large wooden spoon, work the ingredients together until the dough holds its shape.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about five minutes. If the dough becomes sticky while you are kneading it, sprinkle a bit more flour over it.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled 2-quart bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest until it has doubled in size, about one hour.

When the dough has risen, place it on lightly floured surface, dived it into two or more parts, and roll them into balls. Cover them with a towel and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is now ready to be shaped, topped, and cooked.

This recipe makes two 12-inch, four 6-inch or eight 3-inch pizzas.

Shaping your pizza dough is easier than rolling out pie crust. It is much more elastic and the dough is very forgiving. Tears can be pinched together, pressed even and reshaped as needed. To shape your dough, dust it lightly with flour and dust the work surface also. Using your fingertips or the heel of your hand, work in a circular motion, flatten the dough into a circle. Pat the dough even and flip it over.

With the palm of your hand and working in a clockwise motion, begin to stretch the dough until it is the desired size. Finish by patting the edges with your fingertips and then transfer to a pan that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal. I prefer to use a pizza pan that has small holes in it.

If you just can’t squeeze in the time to make your own crust you still have options. There are several brands of pre-made crusts on the market. On of my favorites is Boboli. It comes in a large 10-inch size and a smaller size. They are usually packaged with the large ones in packs of one and the smaller ones in packs of three. You can also find a pizza dough packaged in the same type of container as canned biscuits or crescent rolls, in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.

Now its time for your sauce. I prefer my sauce applied with a light hand. There are many brands of pizza sauce on the market or if you prefer you can make your own and freeze in small portions

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 can (28-ounces) Italian-style tomato

puree

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower the heat, and simmer stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. This makes three cups of sauce.

After the sauce you can add a layer of cheese. While some people use cheddar cheese most pizzas are made with mozzarella. Layer the cheese over the sauce and move on the toppings.

This part is by far my favorite. There are no rules just lots of fun and your own personal taste. I find it is easier to set out the topping choices in small bowls and let the kids or your guests prepare their own. This is also a great opportunity to use some leftovers. For example, with leftover sausage from breakfast, crumble it up for your topping. Or maybe you have leftover baked, grilled or roasted chicken. Try this with a red bell peppers and red onions or maybe a Thai influence, such as a peanut sauce and chopped green onions. Another favorite of ours is a cheeseburger pizza. All this requires is lots of cheddar cheese and browned ground meat.

Once it’s topped place the pan into your preheated 450 degree oven and bake until your cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned and crisp.