Preparation time: 20 minutes; Resting time: 1-12 hours Makes: about 1.1kg (2.2 pound) dough (Makes 4  x 275g (9.7oz) or 3 x 366g (12.9oz) Pizzas

Original Recipe: Dough: simple contemporay Bread by Richard Bertinet

Ingredients 

• 625g (22oz, 5 cups) all-purpose Flour
• 15g fresh yeast or 1¾ teaspoons instant yeast or 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1½-2 teaspoons fine salt 
• 1 teaspoon sugar  not necessary
• 6 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil 
• 400g (1½ cups + 3 tablespoons ) lukewarm water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475ºF (250ºC) if using a pizza pan or 550ºF (290ºC) if using a pizza stone. The pizza will bake in 8-15 minutes depending on your oven. You can either mix this dough by hand using steps 3 and 4 or mix it in a stand mixer, using step 5. I mixed my dough by hand because I wanted to learn the slap, stretch and fold technique. (I have not yet used a mixer).
2. Yeast Instructions: If you’re using fresh yeast, rub it into the flour until it disappears before adding the salt sugar, olive oil and water. If you are using active dry yeast then please activate it by mixing it with part of the water before using it. If using instant yeast then just sift the flour together with the yeast and salt then add the water and olive oil. I always use instant yeast.
3. Mixing the dough in a bowl by hand: Sift or whisk the flour, instant yeast, salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre, then add the olive oil and water into the well. Hold the bowl with one hand and use a plastic dough scraper to mix, 2-3 minutes until a dough starts to form. After about 3 minutes the dough should look like thick sticky porridge. With the help of the rounded end of the scrapper, turn the dough onto the counter. The dough will feel very soft, sticky and moist but do not add more flour and do not flour the counter. (watch Richard Bertinet’s video before working the dough by hand (step 4).
4. Working the dough (kneading) by hand: work the dough by stretching and folding to trap as much air as possible inside. It will be very sticky in the beginning but as you continue stretching and folding, it will come together and feel alive and elastic in your hands. Ideally it should take just 5 minutes to reach elasticity. For a beginner it might take longer (about 8-12 minutes). The final dough should feel soft, light and elastic after the working process is over. Fold the dough into a ball as shown in the video. The dough is now ready to rest. (step 6)
5. Using a mixer with a dough hook: Sift or whisk the flour, instant yeast, salt and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl and switch the mixer onto the lowest speed and add the olive oil and water and mix for 2 minutes, then turn up the next lowest speed and mix for another 6-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic (do not add flour). Remove the dough from the bowl, transfer to a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball as shown in the video. (go to Step 6)
6. Resting the dough: lightly oil the inside of the bowl and put the ball of dough in it. Cover with a lint-free towel or cling film or plastic bag and let the dough rest in a draft free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. The dough is now ready to make the pizza. If you want to get a better crust and taste, rest the dough in the fridge, overnight. The dough will rise very slowly and develop a little acidity which improves the flavour and crust (crispy on outside and slightly chewy inside). Bring the dough to room temperature before using it.
7. For cup measures, spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml American cup
8. Original measurements which I scaled up: ½ oz (14.17g) Fresh Yeast; 18oz (510.29g) Flour; about 2 teaspoons salt; 5 tablespoons olive oil; 11½oz (326g) water.
9. Last Updated: January 20, 2018

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