Morning Preparation

• In the morning, blend together the flour, oil, salt, yeast and water and knead to develop the gluten -- the protein that makes for a chewy crust. Instead of placing the dough into a warm space to rise for an hour or two, place it in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Slide it directly into the refrigerator for eight to 10 hours. The cool temperatures in the fridge slow the rising process. If you let the dough sit out for the whole day, the dough rises too much and surpasses the ability of the gluten -- to stretch. The dough expands to its limits and then falls, unable to rise again. The finished pie lacks a chewy texture and may taste overly yeasty.

Maybe Longer

• Recipes at times call for allowing pizza dough to rise for 48 hours in the fridge. This longer rising process gives the crust a deep flavor and tender mouth feel. It's even possible to keep dough in the refrigerator for as long as a week. Using the dough the day it was prepared yields a tasty pie, but the flavor of the crust isn't as developed as it would be if the dough had been allowed to age.

Proof, Then Rise

• Beginning the dough-making process not in the morning, but after dinner the night before you plan to serve the pizza, will yield a pie with a tangy crust. Mix together a sponge -- a mixture of yeast, warm water and a small amount of flour -- and allow it to sit overnight at room temperature. This is a method of proofing, or hydrating and feeding, the yeast. When you proof the yeast overnight, it ferments slightly, giving you a mild tanginess in the finished product. The next morning, add more flour, yeast, water and salt to create a dense dough. Knead and then set in the refrigerator to rise as you go about your day. About an hour and a half before you plan to shape and bake the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to rise.

Finishing the Pie

• The evening you plan to bake the pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator, stretch it to the desired thickness -- thick, medium or cracker-thin -- and top. For a crispier crust, use a pizza stone, which provides even heating and helps extract some of the excess moisture in the crust. Heat the oven to a high temperature -- up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit -- with the pizza stone inside. If the oven isn't hot enough when you put the pizza in, the crust will not be optimally crisp and browned. Place your topped pizza on the stone and bake until the cheese bubbles and the crust is cooked through -- about 10 to 15 minutes.