Pizza Dough Recipe
User Reviews
5
Pizza Dough Recipe
Description
The pizza dough combines all-purpose flour with fine sea salt and a minimal amount of active dry yeast, mixed with warm water to form a rough dough ball. This dough is then left covered in a warm, draft-free place for at least 18 hours, allowing a slow fermentation that improves flavor and texture. After rising, the dough is divided into four portions, each folded to form a neat package, then rested again under a damp towel for an hour to relax the gluten and ease shaping.
The long resting periods help develop flavor and make the dough easier to handle when stretching out for baking. This results in a tender crust with a soft crumb that is suitable for various pizza toppings. The recipe allows for some flour use during shaping to prevent sticking, preserving dough moisture.
The dough can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to three days after the second rise. Before baking, it should be brought to room temperature. This versatile base can be topped as you prefer to create homemade pies with controlled dough texture and rise.
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus more for shaping dough
- 2 teaspoons salt fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups water warm
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast.
- Add 1 ½ cups of warm water and mix it with a wooden spoon until it becomes a rough dough. Then use your hands to gently bring the dough together to form a rough ball. Note: you may need to knead it a couple of times to get it to create a ball.
- Transfer the ball to a large, clean bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Set the bowl aside in a warm (room temperature) draft-free location for at least 18 hours, or until the dough has more than doubled in size.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Take a corner of the dough and pull it towards the center of the dough. Repeat with the remaining 3 corners until you have a little package. If the 'package' is a little sticky, dust it with flour.
- Place the 'package' seam-side down on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and set aside for 1 hour.
To make pizza
- Place a pizza stone (or a baking sheet turned upside down on a rack in the top ⅓ of your oven. Turn your oven on as high as it will go. Make sure it comes to temperature before baking the pizzas. Generously flour your work surface, hands, and 1 ball of pizza dough. Press the pizza dough down in the center then gently push and pull the edges into a 10-inch circle. Try not to squeeze out the air bubbles; they're the best part.
- Transfer the pizza dough to a well-floured pizza peel then top the pizza lightly with sauce and toppings. Slide the pizza from the peel onto the hot pizza stone and bake until the bottom is crisp and the top is blistered - about 5-6 minutes if using a pizza stone or 10-12 minutes using a baking sheet. Allow your oven to re-heat for 5 minutes between pizzas.
Notes
- You can prepare the dough ahead by completing the second rise, then wrapping in plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to three days.
- Allow refrigerated dough to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours before baking for best texture.
- Jim Lahey's cookbook, My Pizza, contains additional pizza recipe ideas and techniques worth exploring.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 410-inch
Amount Per Serving
Calories 427 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 pizza crust | |
| Calories | 427kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 90g | 30% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Sodium | 1165mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 127mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 0.3g | 1% |
| Calcium | 18mg | 2% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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