Put the sugar and yeast in a small bowl and stir in 90 mL of water. Leave in a draught-free spot to activate. If the yeast does not bubble and foam in 5 minutes, discard it and start again.

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl or in a food processor fitted with a plastic blade. Add the olive oil, remaining water and the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough loosely clumps together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, adding a little flour or a few drops of warm water, if necessary, until you have a soft dough that is not sticky but it dry to the touch.

Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil. Roll a shallow cross on the top of the ball with a sharp knife. Leave dough in the bowl, cover with a tea towel or put in a plastic bag and leave in a draught-free spot for 1-1.5 hours until it has doubled in size (or leave in the refrigerator for 8 hours to rise slowly).

Punch down the dough to its original size, then divide in half.
At this stage, dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 hours, or frozen. Bring it back to room temperature before continuing.

Makes two 12 inch pizza bases. Working with one portion at a time, push the dough out to make a thick circle Use the heels of your hands and work from the centre of the circle outwards, to flatten dough into a 30 cm (12 inch) circle with a slightly raised rim. (You can also use a rolling pin). The pizza dough is ready to use, as instructed in the recipe.

Cook on a lightly oiled tray, dusted with cornmeal. Be sure to put in the oven as quickly as possible.