Prepare the Dough

• In a bowl, mix 3½ cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of salt.
• In a separate large bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water, 1 package of active dry yeast, and a pinch of white sugar. Let it sit until the yeast forms a creamy foam (about 5 minutes).
• Gradually add half of the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and stir until no dry spots remain. Add the remaining flour mixture in ½ cup increments, mixing well after each addition.
• When the dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).

First Rise

• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in it, and turn to coat with oil.
• Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F) until doubled in volume (about 1 hour).

Divide and Shape

• Punch down the dough, divide it into 4 equal pieces, and form each piece into a ball.

Preheat Oven

• Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone inside.

Assemble the Pizzas

• Stretch each dough ball into a 10–12 inch circle. Place each circle on a lightly floured pizza peel.
• Spread ½ cup of pizza sauce over each dough circle, leaving a small border around the edges.
• Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on each pizza and top with 5 basil leaves. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

Bake

• Slide each pizza onto the preheated pizza stone in the oven. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown (5 to 7 minutes).