Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl (I find it best to mix the water and yeast first and let the yeast proof before adding the other ingredients). Slowly add unbleached flour until the dough is getting hard to handle with a spoon. Then turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and smooth but no longer sticky (you may need to re-flour the board from time to time). Form the dough into a ball and set it aside to rise for about 20-30 minutes.

It is now ready to be used in pizza and foccacia recipes.

Makes one 23 centimeter / 9 inch pizza crust.

This authentic, chewy crust is easy to make and provides the classic base for classic pizza recipes. The exact amount of flour may vary because different weather conditions, different flours, and different water can greatly change the proportions.