Although instant yeast does not require activation I prefer to check whether it is still good. So place the yeast and sugar in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup of warm water to it. Mix well, cover & keep aside for 10-12 minutes after which it will froth (foam up). If the mixture has not frothed up then the yeast is probably old and not good. Discard it and start again with a fresh batch.

In a bowl add the flour, salt, olive oil and then the activated yeast mixture. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring the mixture together into a dough. Knead it until it comes together, about 2-3 minutes.

Grease the dough ball lightly with oil, cover it with a damp cloth and keep aside for 5-7 minutes. Since we are making a thin crust pizza we don't need to proof the dough.

Divide the dough into two portions and shape each portion into a ball by tucking the ends underneath. Flatten it using stretching movements and transfer the flattened base on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or semolina.

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 9 or 10" round base.

Start by applying a thin layer of the pizza sauce over the surface of the base, leaving a half inch gap around the edges. Then spread some mozzarella cheese followed by the toppings in a random order. Make sure you don't overcrowd the pizza. Finally add some more cheese.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees and bake for 15-18 mins or till golden. The baking time depends on your oven and also the thickness of your base. Also some recipes ask for a higher temperature like 260 degrees - this will reduce the baking time so best is to keep an eye out

Remove from the oven, use a pizza cutter to divide the pizza into 4 or 8 pieces. Garnish with fresh basil or arugula and serve immediately.