Pizza Dough (Andy Cooks)

This recipe outlines how to make Neapolitan-style pizza dough, requiring preparation a couple of days in advance for optimal results.

Ingredients

Hydrate the yeast in approximately 2 tablespoons of the measured water. Mix well and set aside.
Place the flour in a bowl and add the remaining water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, about 2-3 minutes. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, perform a couple of stretch and folds on the dough. Add the hydrated yeast and use the same stretch and fold technique until the yeast is fully incorporated. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes.
Add the salt and knead the dough for another 1-2 minutes, or until the salt grains are no longer detectable.
Place the dough into a clear airtight container and flatten the top. Cover and use tape to mark the dough’s initial level to track its rise. The dough should double in size, which will take about 6-10 hours depending on environmental temperature and yeast activity.
Once doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a bench and perform a couple of stretch and folds. Divide the dough into 270g pieces, yielding 6 portions.
To form dough balls, take each piece and fold it in on itself 3-4 times. Then, with the dough ball on the bench, pull it towards yourself with your hand to create a smooth top.
Place the dough balls into an airtight container, ensuring enough space if multiple balls are in one container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours.
Remove the dough from the fridge 1-2 hours before making pizza to allow it to come to room temperature before stretching.