Recipe makes 4 rectangular pies, about 8 x 12 inches.

To make pizza at home like the pizza from an Italian Beehive oven, you will need a heavy weight two burner griddle and a pizza brick or quarry tiles to place in the oven.

This is a recipe for pizza I worked out after our year in Italy - Naples is the home of Pizza. It is NOT, in spite of what some people think, an American dish. It takes practice and patience but it is worth it!

THE CRUST:

1 pkg. dried yeast
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. sugar

1. In large mixing bowl, soak yeast in water with sugar.

2. When yeast mixture is bubbly, add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water, and enough flour to make a soft dough - the dough should be soft but not sticky.

3. Knead for 10 minutes.

4. Place dough in lightly floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.

5. Punch dough down and let rise to double again.

THE TOPPING:

1. Open a can of peeled Italian style tomatoes - NOT GROUND TOMATOES - and slightly crush the tomatoes.

2. Shred by pulling it apart with the fingers, 8 to 16 ounces of good quality, freshly made, if possible, Mozzarella cheese - pieces should be nickel sized but thick (don't try this with pre-shredded cheese - it just won't taste as good).

3. Grate Parmesan and Romano cheese - you will need about 1/2 cup per pie. (NOTE: good quality cheese is important - pre-grated stuff in a shaker bottle just won't do it!)

4. Have ready salt, garlic (you can use powder (not salt), pepper, basil, and oregano.

COOKING:

If using a pizza brick, follow manufacturers directions. If using the tiles, place the oven rack at the second setting from the top. Cover the rack with the tiles, edge to edge.

1. Divide dough into four part and let it rest while the oven is heating.

2. heat the broiler of your oven, and start two burners. (Note: if you have a one burner griddle, you can just make LOTS of small pieces - it will be slow!)

3. Use a rolling pin to roll out the crust - when it begins to be difficult to roll, use the hands and fingers to GENTLY pull it larger - try to get it to about 8 x 12 inch in size.

4. Place the dough on the griddle over the hot burners - the level of heat on the burners will vary - on my electric stove, I have it one notch over medium high heat.

5. While the bottom of the crust is cooking, quickly spread on about 2/3 of a cup of tomato, sprinkle on about 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and two or three healthy dashes of garlic powder.

6. If you want pepperoni pizza, place the thinly sliced pepperoni on the pie now.

7. Spread 1/4 of the Mozzarella cheese pieces on top evenly.

8. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup or more of the grated cheese mixture.

9. By this time, the bottom of the crust may well be browning - do not let it get really brown - just a few spots.

10. Use a bread paddle or large pancake turner to transfer the pizza to the pizza brick or tiles in the oven.

11. Cook until the top is very bubbly but not too browned.

12. Serve on a wooden board.

I find that I can get one crust rolled and shaped in the time the pie is in the broiler. It cooks fast!