Let's talk about some pizza dough.

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• (^ that should equal to one small packet)
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra flour for kneading
• 
  

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes. (The warm water is crucial, as it activates the yeast.)
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast & water mixture. Mix in 3 1/3 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Then, place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour or so. Once the time is up, punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. 
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe calls for one large deep-dish pie or two regular pies. For the two regular pies: in step #3, after punching down the dough, cut in two, form a tight ball and then allow the mixture to relax for a minute before rolling out.