Pizza Dough – Neapolitan Style

In a large liquid measuring cup dissolve fresh yeast in cold (about 60 degrees F) water.

Place bread flour in a pile on a clean work surface. Use your hands to create a hole in the center of your flour pile, like a volcano. Carefully pour some of the water and yeast mixture into the hole and using your fingers, incorporate flour from inside the hole with the water to make a slurry. Add salt. Continue to add water and yeast mixture until all has been added, being careful not to break the wall of flour, so it will not run all over the counter.

Once your dough holds together, knead for 10 to 15 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Cover with an inverted bowl or cotton towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Knead briefly after resting to help develop flavor and gluten structure.

Using a digital food scale, weigh total ball of dough in grams. Divide that number by 5 if making 10-inch crusts. This number will be the weight of each ball of crust. Divide dough into equal balls and place in plastic or reusable silicone bags. I like to use a piece of parchment paper the width of the bag to prevent the ball of dough from sticking to the bag. The parchment can then be used for baking in place of the cornmeal, if desired. Leave bags partially open and allow dough to stand at room temperature for between 8 and 10 hours.

If using immediately, place a pizza stone on the lowest rack and preheat oven to 550 degrees F. Place one ball of dough on a floured surface and gently press from the center outward using your fingertips until the dough has reached about 7 or 8 inches in diameter. Continue stretching by placing the dough on the tops of your knuckles and rotating the dough, allowing the weight of the dough to stretch, but not tear. I find it helpful to gently pinch the perimeter of the dough where it is thickest if the center looks like it is getting too thin.

When stretched to desired size, place dough on a pizza peel sprinkled generously with corn meal or covered with parchment paper. Work quickly to apply sauce and toppings, leaving about half an inch uncovered around the edge.

Slide pizza off peel directly onto preheated pizza stone and bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven using pizza peel and cool slightly before cutting.

Unused balls of dough can be sealed and frozen for up to one month.