Directions
-
In a large bowl, combine the Pizza Flour, yeast, and water. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-
Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Use wet hands to fold and squeeze the dough until the salt is evenly incorporated.
-
Knead the dough for approximately 5 minutes, or perform several stretch and folds inside the bowl. To stretch and fold, lift one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then repeat the folding process one more time.
-
Cover the bowl and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 to 3 hours. The dough should become noticeably puffy and increase in volume by about 50 to 75 percent. It does not need to fully double.
-
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently form it into a large boule. Divide it into 4 equal portions, approximately 270 g each. Shape each portion into a smooth, tight dough ball.
-
Place the dough balls in lightly oiled, covered containers, leaving enough room for them to expand. If using the dough the same day, let the dough balls proof at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. If the dough has been refrigerated overnight, remove the dough balls from the refrigerator approximately 2 to 3 hours before baking, and keep them covered while they come to room temperature. The dough balls are ready when they are soft, slightly expanded, and relaxed enough to stretch without snapping back.
-
Preheat your oven as hot as possible for at least 45 to 60 minutes with a pizza stone or baking steel in place. Follow these baking guidelines depending on the type of oven you're using. Home oven: Preheat to 550°F, or the highest temperature your oven allows. If your oven only reaches 500°F, preheat for at least 1 hour. Outdoor pizza oven: Preheat to 750°F to 900°F.
-
Gently stretch each dough ball into a pizza crust, avoiding a rolling pin, which will press out the gas developed during fermentation. Add toppings sparingly.
-
Bake until the crust is puffed, browned, and crisp. Home oven: At 550°F, bake for 5 to 8 minutes. At 500°F, bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Outdoor pizza oven: At 750°F to 900°F, bake for just 60 to 120 seconds, turning the pizza every 20 to 30 seconds.
Makes 4 12-inch pizzas
