How to Prepare Pizza Dough
Discover the secrets to making a perfect pizza dough with 60% hydration. Easy to work with and stretch, ideal for beginners and home bakers!
The dough is the foundation of a perfect pizza! This recipe features 60% hydration, making it ideal for beginners as it is easy to handle and stretch.
Ingredients for 4 pizzas (about 250 g each)
✔ Flour (Type 0 or 00): 1 kg (choose a flour with W 260-300 for long fermentation).
✔ Water: 600 ml (at room temperature).
✔ Fresh yeast: 3 g (or 1 g of dry yeast).
✔ Salt: 20 g.
✔ Sugar: 5 g (optional, helps activate the yeast).
✔ Extra virgin olive oil: 20 ml (optional, improves elasticity and softness).
Preparation Steps
1️⃣ Activating the Yeast
📌 Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with sugar.
📌 Let it rest for 5-10 minutes until a light foam forms on the surface.
2️⃣ Mixing the Dough
🔹 In a large bowl:
✔ Pour in about half of the flour, gradually adding the yeast-water mixture while stirring with a fork.
✔ Add the salt (never directly in contact with yeast) and olive oil if desired.
🔹 Kneading by hand:
✔ Continue adding the remaining flour until the dough is soft but not sticky.
✔ Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead vigorously for about 10 minutes using a folding and pressing motion to develop gluten.
🔹 Final texture:
✔ The dough should be smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ First Rise
📌 Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl.
📌 Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth.
📌 Let it rise in a warm place (25°C-28°C) until it doubles in size (about 2-4 hours).
4️⃣ Portioning and Second Rise
📌 Divide the dough on a floured surface into 4 balls of about 250 g each.
📌 Place the dough balls on a lightly floured tray, cover them, and let them rest for 1-2 hours.
Tips for Handling the Dough
✅ Avoid using a rolling pin! Stretch the dough by hand to retain air bubbles for a light and airy pizza.
✅ For Neapolitan pizza, keep the edges thicker and the center thin.
Variation for Long Fermentation
📌 If you want a lighter and more digestible dough:
✔ Reduce yeast to 1 g.
✔ Let the dough rest in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
✔ Before stretching, let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.