Ingredients
Makes 4x 12” Pizza Dough Balls
600g of ‘00’ flour, plus extra for surface dusting*
360ml warm water
7g/1 sachet instant dried yeast
10g salt
10ml olive oil
*If you can’t find 00 flour, plain flour will do the job
Suitable for: Adoro Pizza Oven by Drew&Cole
The Method
Add the warm water to a large bowl. Whisk the yeast into the water and leave for five minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
If mixing by hand: Add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl. Then, slowly pour in the yeast and water mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a dough begins to form. Continue mixing until the dough comes together into a ball. Next, move the ball to a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands until it’s firm and stretchy. Put the dough back in the bowl, and apply a light coating of olive oil to the surface. Cover the bowl with cling film and a tea towel, then leave to rise in a warm, dark place for around two hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
If using a stand mixer: Attach a dough hook and place the flour and salt in the mixer bowl. Switch it on to a low setting and gradually add the yeast mixture. Once combined, leave the dough to mix on the same speed for 5-10 minutes, or until it’s firm and stretchy. Then switch off and cover the dough with cling film and a tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm, dark place for around two hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
Once the dough’s roughly doubled in size, divide it into 4 roughly equal balls. It should be a little sticky at this point, so lightly coat your prep surface with flour. If you’re not cooking immediately, the dough should remain covered with a tea towel until you’re ready to bake.
Kneading an stretching the dough: It’s best to start with as round a ball as possible to help keep the pizza base circular as you stretch it out. Place the ball on a lightly floured surface – you can even use the pizza peel itself for this – flour your hands, and use your finger tips to flatten the dough into a small disc shape. Working from the centre, push the dough outwards while spreading your fingers to make the disc slightly bigger. For an authentic experience, pick up the pizza dough and gently pinch it all around the edge, rotating it as you do so, and allow gravity to pull it into a large circle. Take care throughout this process – you don’t want to tear it.
If you haven’t already, you can now place your dough on to the lightly floured pizza peel. If you notice any holes, gently pinch them back together and you’re ready to add your toppings and bake!
