Pizza Dough

Picaso of Dough

4 day masterpiece - the ultimate slow-fermented pizza dough for the true artisan. Worth every moment of patience!

Prep:30 min

Total:96 hours

Difficulty:Advanced

📝 Ingredients

Day 1 - Wednesday Evening:
2
Dissolve the tiny amount of yeast in ice-cold water. Let sit 5 minutes.
3
In a large bowl, combine flour, malt powder, and salt.
4
Add the yeast water and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
5
Cover and rest for 45 minutes (autolyse).
6
Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart. The dough should become smooth and elastic.
7
If using olive oil, incorporate during the final stretch and fold.
8
Transfer to a lightly oiled container, cover tightly, and refrigerate.
Days 2-3 - Thursday & Friday:
10
Leave dough undisturbed in the refrigerator. The magic is happening - slow fermentation is developing incredible flavor and structure.
Day 4 - Saturday:
12
Remove dough from fridge in the morning.
13
Gently divide into 220-250g portions without degassing too much.
14
Shape into tight balls using a bench scraper and your hands.
15
Place in individual proofing containers or on a well-floured tray with space between each ball.
16
Cover and let proof at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
Baking:
18
Preheat your oven with pizza stone/steel to maximum temperature for at least 1 hour.
19
Gently stretch dough by hand - it should be incredibly extensible and airy.
20
Top minimally - this dough is the star!
21
Bake until leopard-spotted with a pillowy, charred cornicione (edge).

• The tiny yeast amount is intentional - long fermentation does the heavy lifting
• High-protein 00 flour is essential for proper gluten development over 4 days
• Don't skip the stretch and folds on Day 1 - they build crucial structure
• The dough should smell slightly tangy and yeasty when ready - like a fine sourdough
• This dough produces restaurant-quality Neapolitan-style pizza at home
• If using a home oven, a pizza steel gets hotter than a stone and gives better results