In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.

Pour a drop or two of oil over the top and rub with your hands to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

If time permits, 30 minutes after you cover the bowl, perform one set of stretches and folds: grab an edge of the dough using a wet hand and stretch it up and in. Repeat this 8 to 10 times, grabbing a different edge each time.

If you are baking the pizzas right away, place a Baking Steel or pizza stone in top third of oven and preheat oven to its hottest setting, 550°F. Be sure the Baking Steel heats for at least 45 minutes once the oven temperature reaches 550ºF.

Cover a work surface or cutting board liberally with flour. Turn the dough out onto your floured surface and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 4 equal portions.

With floured hands, roll each portion into a ball. If you are not baking the pizza the same day, transfer each round of dough to a storage container, cover, and store in the fridge.

If you are baking right away, let the balls sit on their tucked-in edges for 30 to 60 minutes without touching in a lidded, lightly floured vessel.

If using refrigerated dough, pull out a pizza round from the fridge 60 to 90 minutes before you plan on baking.

Handling the dough as minimally as possible, shape the dough into a 10"–12" round.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a pizza peel, and pour a few drops of oil into the center of it. Transfer the dough round to the parchment-lined baking peel.

Top pizza as desired or to make the Margherita pizza: spread 2 ounces of tomato sauce over your pizza dough. Top with 3 ounces of mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Shimmy the pizza, parchment paper and all into the oven. Bake the pizza until the top is blistered, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Shower basil over the pizza Margherita. Cut and serve.