Slow-rise Pizza Dough

by Peter Reinhart, featured on 101 Cookbooks (see original here)

Makes 2 Pizzas | Prepare the night before

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups (575g) flour
• 1 3/4 tsp (12g) salt
• 1 tsp (3 g) instant/dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (57g) olive oil
• 1 3/4 cup (400ml) ice cold water (4.5° C)
• Semolina flour for dusting

Method

1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).

Electric mixer

2. Add the oil and the cold water and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until the flour is absorbed.

Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water.

By hand

2. With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Continued...

3. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter.

4. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and lightly oil the parchment.

5. Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 2-6 equal pieces (depending on how large you want your pizzas). Sprinkle flour over the dough and flour your hands. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, mist the dough generously with oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.

6. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days.

7. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Place the dough balls on a floured counter, springle them with flour and gently press the dough into flat disks about 1.5 cm thick. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.

8. Preheat the oven to as hot as possible (make sure it is clean first).

9. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour. Flour your hands and gently stretch the dough to your desired size and thickness. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again.

10. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction, lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy.

11. Slide the topped pizza in the oven and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake.

12. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.