Cheesy Pizza Crust

Cheesy Pizza Crust

Sometimes you just want some garlicky cheesy bread. For me, this is the easiest way, especially if I have some pizza crusts in the freezer, which I usually do. This is one of those recipes that I'm not sure really needs its own post, but it's just different enough, and well, I had the pics, so here you go. I do love this pizza crust in particular right now, so I've been making it a lot. This would probably make a good side for a salad meal, which we never do around here. It's also great as a side for a tasty soup, like my favorite Vegetable Beef Soup.
Enough. Just know this is cheesy and satisfying. Enjoy.

Cheesy Pizza Crust
    --Adapted from Tyler Forence's Pizza Dough Recipe at FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Place the warm water and olive oil in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
Add the flour. Then add the sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
With the dough hook, mix on low until ingredients are incorporated. Turn speed up to medium and kneed dough on medium for about 4-5 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. (My dough sometimes separates into two pieces.)
Scrape dough off hook and out of bowl and form into a single ball. Return dough to bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. 
Allow dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. While dough rises, preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. (Note: Your oven should have a baking stone for optimal results.)
Scrape risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 4 pieces.
Form each piece of dough into a nice round ball. Cover dough balls with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 15-20 minutes.
Line a semi-rimless baking sheet or a pizza peel with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll, stretch, pull, and press dough out to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Place on prepared baking sheet or pizza peel. If you're making 8 small crusts, you should be able to fit four of the crusts onto the baking sheet/pizza peel.
Before sliding crusts into the oven, tap all ten of your fingernails, like claws, into each crust about 3-4 times to perforate the dough (see below). If you skip this step, you will end up with puffy pita pockets instead of pizza crusts. 
Bake for 3-4minutes at 500 degrees, or until there are browned spots on the bottom of the crust.Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Note: If for some reason one of your crusts puffed up like a balloon (pita bread), just set the other crusts on top of that one until it's flattened. Do not attempt to flatten it with your fingers or hand, or you'll get a steam burn.

Take a baked crust and spread butter all over the surface. Sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper, and then the cheese. Put back into the hot oven and bake for 3-4 more minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and starting to bubble. 
Remove from oven and cut into wedges.
Repeat with remaining crusts, if desired, or you can use them for regular pizza, or freeze for later.

Makes 4 medium pizzas