Yeah I think the key is letting the dough rest long enough. I usually let it sit for at least an hour at room temperature covered with a damp cloth. That gives the gluten time to relax and makes rolling it out so much easier. For the sauce I go with San Marzano tomatoes crushed by hand with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. No cooking needed just let it sit while the dough rests. The cheese situation is important too low moisture whole milk mozzarella is the way to go. Fresh mozzarella releases too much water and makes everything soggy. Shred it yourself rather than buying pre-shredded because the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese mess with the melt. As for the baking surface a preheated stone or steel makes a huge difference. I put mine in the oven on the top rack and let it heat for at least 45 minutes at 500 degrees. If you do not have a stone use an inverted baking sheet. The key is getting that bottom crust crispy while the top gets bubbly. I also brush the edge of the dough with a little olive oil before baking to help it brown evenly. Let me know if you try this method and how it turns out for you.

I measured the space first before buying anything. The alcove is about 48 inches wide and 84 inches tall so I went with a modular system that could fill it completely. I chose a mix of open shelves and cabinets with doors to break up the visual weight. For the shelf spacing I made sure some sections were tall enough for art books and others were shorter for paperbacks. The depth was important too 12 inches deep works for most books but I went with 14 inches on the bottom row to accommodate larger photography volumes. I anchored everything to the wall studs because the last thing you want is a tall bookshelf tipping over. For the color I went with a warm white to match the trim rather than a stark white. It blends in nicely and makes the books the focal point. I added some brass handles to the cabinet doors for a bit of contrast. The project took about two weekends from start to finish with most of the time spent on getting the measurements right. I also used small felt pads on the shelf surfaces to keep the book covers from scratching. Let me know if you want photos of how the spacing turned out.