Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 325 g Water (Lukewarm; used to hydrate the yeast)
• 1 g Instant yeast (Estimated amount; the transcript does not state a quantity)
• 500 g Bread flour or tipo 00 flour (Use a finely milled pizza flour if available; reserve most of the flour for mixing with the salt)
• 14 g Fine sea salt (Add to the remaining flour after first buffering the yeast with a small amount of flour; estimated amount)

Steps

1. 1

   Pour the lukewarm water into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and stir briefly to disperse it. Let the yeast hydrate for a few minutes.

2. 2

   Add a small portion of the flour to the hydrated yeast mixture and stir until combined. This flour acts as a buffer so the salt will not contact the yeast directly.

3. 3

   Add the salt to the remaining flour and mix it through evenly. Adding the salt to the flour first helps distribute it throughout the dough.

4. 4

   Add the salted flour gradually to the bowl. Mix until most of the flour has been incorporated and a shaggy dough forms, with no large pockets of dry flour remaining.

5. 5

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, or knead it in the bowl. Knead until it becomes cohesive, smoother, and elastic, developing enough strength to hold air. This should take roughly 8–10 minutes by hand.

6. 6

   Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, until it has relaxed and begun to expand.

7. 7

   After the rest, gently press or punch down the dough to remove the accumulated air. Avoid tearing the dough while degassing it.

8. 8

   Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth, tight ball by drawing the edges underneath and pinching the seam closed.

9. 9

   Place the dough balls in a dough tray or other covered container with space between them. Cover with a lid; the container does not need to be airtight, but the cover should prevent the dough from drying out.

10. 10

    Leave the covered dough balls at room temperature so they can continue to rise before stretching and baking the pizzas.

Notes

The transcript provides the ingredient types and method but no measurements, so the quantities are practical estimates for four approximately 210-g dough balls. Use the dough once the balls have visibly expanded and feel soft and airy. No pizza-baking temperature or time was provided in the source.

Nutrition per serving

• dough
• pizza
• main
• Italian
• vegetarian
• vegan
• dairy-free
• make-ahead