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Artisan Pizza Dough Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 308 reviews

This Artisan Pizza Dough recipe yields a deliciously chewy, crispy crust perfect for homemade pizzas. Made with simple ingredients and a slow fermentation process, it develops excellent flavor and texture. Ideal for pizza enthusiasts looking for an authentic pizzeria-quality base.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 500 grams (about 4 cups) bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast

Wet Ingredients

  • 375 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) water, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and instant yeast. Gradually add the room temperature water while mixing until no dry flour remains and you get a sticky, shaggy dough.
  2. Autolyse: Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. This resting period allows the flour to hydrate fully, improving gluten development and dough extensibility.
  3. Add Salt: Sprinkle the fine sea salt over the dough, then fold the dough over itself repeatedly until it becomes smoother and the salt is evenly integrated.
  4. First Rise: Cover the dough again and let it rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until it has doubled in size. During this period, perform “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes to strengthen the dough’s gluten network.
  5. Cold Fermentation: After the initial rise, cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it for 24 to 72 hours. This slow fermentation enhances flavor and texture significantly.
  6. Shape the Dough: Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Divide it into portions depending on the pizza size, shape each into tight balls, and let them rest for 30 minutes covered to relax the gluten.
  7. Preheat Oven: Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven and preheat it to 500°F (260°C) or higher to ensure a crispy crust when baking.
  8. Stretch and Bake: Stretch each dough ball gently into your desired pizza shape. Add your favorite toppings, then bake on the preheated stone or steel for 7 to 10 minutes until the crust is bubbly and golden brown.

Notes

  • Use bread flour for a higher protein content, which helps develop the ideal chewy crust texture.
  • Performing stretch and folds during the first rise strengthens gluten without intensive kneading.
  • Cold fermentation is key to developing complex flavors; don’t rush this step.
  • Preheating your stone or steel at a high temperature mimics commercial pizza ovens for a perfect bake.
  • If you don’t have a pizza stone or steel, use the oven rack or a heavy baking sheet inverted.
  • For best results, shape and bake dough within a few hours of bringing it to room temperature.

Keywords: artisan pizza dough, homemade pizza crust, slow fermented pizza dough, pizza dough recipe, bread flour pizza dough

Find it online: https://tastybella.com/artisan-pizza-dough-recipe/