Description
This Artisan Pizza Dough recipe yields a crispy, chewy, and bubbly crust perfect for homemade pizzas. The dough undergoes a slow cold fermentation process to develop deep flavor and an ideal texture, making it a favorite for pizza enthusiasts seeking authentic pizzeria results at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 500 grams (about 4 cups) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast
Wet Ingredients
- 375 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) water, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for coating)
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: Combine the bread flour and instant yeast in a large bowl. Gradually add the room temperature water while mixing until there is no dry flour left. The resulting dough will be sticky and shaggy, which is expected.
- Autolyse: Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. This step hydrates the flour and starts gluten development.
- Add Salt: Sprinkle the fine sea salt over the dough, then fold the dough over itself repeatedly until it becomes smooth and cohesive.
- First Rise: Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours until it doubles in size, indicating active fermentation.
- Stretch and Fold: Every 30 minutes during the first rise, perform stretch and fold techniques to strengthen the dough’s gluten structure. To do this, gently stretch one side of the dough and fold it over the rest, rotating the bowl and repeating several times.
- Cold Fermentation: After the initial rise, cover and refrigerate the dough for 24 to 72 hours. This slow fermentation enhances flavor and texture.
- Shape the Dough: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Divide it into portions, shape each into a smooth ball, and let rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) or higher. Place a pizza stone or steel inside to heat thoroughly for optimal crust crispiness.
- Stretch and Bake: Stretch each dough ball into a pizza base, add your favorite toppings, and bake on the preheated stone or steel until the crust is bubbly and golden, typically 7–10 minutes.
Notes
- The cold fermentation can be extended up to 72 hours for more complex flavor development.
- Using bread flour is essential for achieving the chewy texture typical of artisan pizzas due to its higher protein content.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone or steel, using an inverted heavy baking sheet preheated in the oven will also work.
- Stretching dough gently and avoiding rolling pins preserves the air bubbles for a bubbly crust.
- Make sure water is at room temperature to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
