Recipe

MAKE DOUGH

1.  David: In a small bowl, combine a teaspoonful or so of active dry yeast, a squeeze of agave syrup or a pinch of granulated sugar, and a few spoonfuls of warm (but not hot!) water. Stir to dissolve. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Congrats, you’ve activated the yeast.
2. In a large bowl, combine at least three cups of all-purpose flour, a few large pinches of salt and a pinch of sugar. Add the activated yeast and stir in enough water (milk works, too!) for the dough to be wet but malleable, something you can bring together into a wet ball. Add a glug of olive oil to the dough and start working it. This just means using your hands to lift it and let it fold over itself a bunch of times. Do this for a few minutes, until the dough starts to feel elastic — you’re developing the gluten.
3. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place it in a dark room temperature spot (like an oven that’s turned off — if it’s cold in the kitchen, it helps to boil water in a kettle and put that in the oven to make the oven warmer). Let it proof for three to five hours, until it almost doubles in size.
4. You can use it now, or transfer the dough to a resealable bag, place in the freezer overnight and then thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature when you’re ready to use it.
5. Once the dough is proofed, stretch it out on a half-sheet pan (or two 12-inch round pans) that have been coated with olive oil, and add a little more oil to the surface of the dough. Make indents for the crust along the edges of the dough. Let it proof again, covered in plastic wrap, for one to two hours in a dark room temperature place (again, a turned-off oven works well), until it has risen to almost double the height. (If you’re using an oven and it’s cold in your kitchen, place a kettle with boiling water in the oven to keep it warm.)

Priya: Both Dave and I found that the texture was softer and with a nicer chew after freezing and thawing.

David: This dough should be a little more hydrated than the standard flatbread dough to give it more of that light, shattery crunch. So, ideally, make the dough with a little extra water, enough to make it a loose dough, not one that comes together into a neat ball.

MAKE FLATBREAD PIZZA

1. David: Take the dough out, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce (canned tomatoes puréed with salt, olive oil and sugar, to taste, works) over the top. Bake the crust for about 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Spread fresh mozzarella, another layer of tomato sauce and slices of pepperoni over the top. Place the pizza back in the oven and cook for another three to six minutes, to your desired doneness.

Priya: I cook it until the pepperoni is crispy because it adds this salty, potato chip–like crunch to every bite. This is my go-to recipe for when I’m on vacation and staying in a rental with friends and need to make dinner. It doesn’t require much kitchen equipment, and it automatically makes me the most popular person in the house.