Warm 1 cup of water until warm to touch. Mix the water, yeast, sugar and 1 cup flour in a bowl. Mix for 1-2 minutes until smooth and somewhat stringy. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour, while you prep the toppings..

Mix the salt into 2 cups of flour. Add 1.5 cups of this flour to the bowl and mix into the batter until well combined. It will take a minute or so to incorporate. Add flour 2 or so tbsp at a time until the dough is not too sticky but well formed. Get your hand in there to mix. Gather the dough into a somewhat smooth dough and knead for another minute. If using oil, add 2 to 3 tsp olive oil or other oil and mix in.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. The dough should be slightly sticky. (At this point, you can continue to knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and not sticky. Add more flour if needed. I usually don't as I like the rustic feel of the dough where the air bubbles are not evenly distributed.)

Use flour to roll out the dough between parchment sheets or use floured hands to shape the crust. I usually use my hands. Keep the edges a bit thicker. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like. To roll out thinner, roll or spread and then let the dough rest for a minute in between, then roll more.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray water on the shaped dough and let it sit near the warming oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with sauce, veggies and layers of choice.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Broil for a minute to brown if needed.