Italian Neapolitan Pizza Dough

1. 1

   Combine the water and fine sea salt in a bowl, stirring until completely dissolved.

2. 2

   Pour the salt-water mixture into a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, then throw in half the bread flour. Run the machine on medium speed until a soft dough comes together. Mix in the remaining bread flour and active dry yeast, then knead for 7 minutes at medium speed. Evaluate the dough by taking a tiny piece and pulling it apart; it should be thin enough to let light pass through without ripping. If the dough tears, keep kneading.

3. 3

   Shape the dough into a firm sphere and transfer it to a bowl that has been greased slightly. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 1 hour.

4. 4

   Use a bench scraper to split the dough into five 9.9-ounce (280 g) portions. Form each piece into a taut ball. Put these dough portions inside a greased storage container, leaving roughly 3 inches (7 cm) of space between each one, then seal the top tightly with plastic wrap.

5. 5

   Place the container in the refrigerator to rest for 48 hours so the dough can slowly ferment and build its flavor.

6. 6

   Before baking, take the dough out of the cold and allow it to warm to room temperature. Position an oven rack in the middle slot, set a pizza stone on top of it, and warm your oven to 450°F (230°C) for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you have a dedicated pizza oven, heat it to 810°F (432°C) instead.

7. 7

   Scatter bread flour over a clean surface and put extra bread flour in a separate bowl. Lift one dough portion with a bench scraper, dip both sides into the bowl of bread flour, and lay it down on your prepared surface. Press down gently to flatten the round, then use your fingertips to create a border for the crust. Carefully expand the dough into a 13-inch (33 cm) round of uniform thickness, letting gravity and your knuckles pull it outward.

8. 8

   Spread the pizza sauce over the prepared round, then use a pizza peel to slide it onto the hot pizza stone sprinkled with cornmeal. Cook for 10–14 minutes until the outer crust turns golden brown. If cooking in a specialized pizza oven, bake the dough for 60–90 seconds, turning it as required. Immediately dress the baked pizza with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Do the same for the other portions of dough.

Recipe by @homebodyeats on Pinterest. See the original for their notes and tips.