Ingredients
1kg stoneground whole-wheat flour or strong unbleached baker’s flour
550g water
8g compressed yeast (fresh cake yeast) or 3g powdered “instant” yeast
20g salt
30g extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. Place flour in a mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment. Turn on low speed and add 500ml of water. Keep mixing until the water has been absorbed but the dough is still rough.
2. Turn machine off and let sit for 30 minutes. Dissolve yeast in remaining 50ml water. Turn mixer on to low speed and add the dissolved yeast.
3. Once incorporated, turn mixer speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then add the salt, mix for 2 minutes more, and finally add the olive oil. Keep mixing for another 6 minutes at this speed.
4. Turn the speed up a little and mix for 2 minutes more. A good way to check elasticity is to stretch a piece of dough and if it forms a strong, transparent membrane (similar to blowing a bubble with gum), without breaking, it is ready.
5. Let dough sit covered for 30 minutes in winter or 15 minutes in summer before forming the dough balls.
6. Form dough balls around 250g each. Place balls on a non-stick tray and cover but make sure the balls don’t touch the cover. Let sit to rise for 60 minutes at 20–24°C. After resting, place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours if possible.
7. Remove from refrigerator and leave at ambient temperature for 2–4 hours (less in summer and more in winter) before shaping to make your pizza. Ensure the oven has come to temperature before shaping the pizze using a little flour and adding the toppings of your choice.
Recipe by: Stefano Manfredi
Photography by: Kitti Gould