One dough, no kneading
Time does the work that kneading otherwise would, and it adds flavor that a fast dough never develops.
- Weigh 500 grams of bread flour or all-purpose flour, which is about four cups, into a large bowl.
- Stir in 10 grams of fine salt, which is a scant two teaspoons, and a quarter teaspoon of instant yeast.
- Add 350 grams of lukewarm water, which is about one and a half cups, and mix with a spoon until no dry flour remains.
- Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is covered in bubbles.
A scale costs about fifteen dollars and prevents the usual failure, which is too much flour. Water should feel barely warm, because hot water kills yeast.
Baking a loaf
Scrape the dough onto a floured counter, fold the edges into the middle a few times to form a ball, and set it seam side down on a sheet of parchment for about an hour. Meanwhile heat a lidded Dutch oven in the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Lower the dough into the hot pot on its parchment, cover it, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the loaf is deep brown. Cool it on a rack for an hour before slicing, because a hot loaf cuts gummy.
Making pizza
Divide the risen dough into three balls, put each in an oiled container, and refrigerate them for one to three days, which improves the flavor. Take a ball out an hour before baking. Heat the oven as high as it goes, usually 500 or 550 degrees, with a baking steel, a stone or an upturned sheet pan inside for at least 45 minutes. Stretch the dough by hand on a floured surface to about 12 inches, since a rolling pin presses out the gas and makes a cracker. Use three or four tablespoons of sauce and a modest handful of cheese, because an overloaded pizza turns soggy. Bake it for six to ten minutes, until the rim is blistered.
Common mistakes
Sticky dough tempts you to add flour, which makes a dense loaf, so wet your hands instead. Judge the rise by the bubbles and not the clock, since a cold kitchen slows it.
Tip Build the pizza on the back of a sheet pan dusted with flour or cornmeal, and shake the pan before adding toppings to confirm that the dough slides.
