Pizza Dough
This dough covers your week. One batch gives you enough for a half sheet pan of focaccia, two 18-inch pizzas, three 16-inch ones, or four 10 to 12-inch pies. That flexibility is the point. Make the dough on Sunday and eat from it all week.
The olive oil at 15% of the flour weight is high for a pizza dough. Most recipes use 2 to 5%. The extra oil does two things: it keeps the crust tender even after it cools, and it gives you a crispier bottom because fat conducts heat faster than water. A cold slice of this pizza still eats well the next day, and that matters when you are feeding a family.
The recipe is versatile on purpose. Use it as a flatbread base, a sandwich roll, or a focaccia. The fruitier the olive oil, the better the flavor. This dough stores in the fridge for up to 12 days.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water (100°F or below) | 412 | 65.00% | |
| Instant Yeast | 10 | 2.00% | |
| Salt | 13 | 2.00% | |
| Olive Oil or Butter | 97 | 15.00% | |
| Flour | 635 | 100.00% | |
| Total | 1,166 | 184.00% |
No preheat required at mixing time. When you are ready to bake, set your oven as high as it goes — 450°F to 500°F for pizza, 425°F for focaccia. Place a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest rack 30 minutes before baking.
For focaccia, oil a half sheet pan generously with olive oil. For pizza, dust a peel or parchment paper with flour or cornmeal.
Mix the water, yeast, salt, and oil in a 6-quart bowl or a lidded food container.
Add the flour and mix on low with the paddle attachment until combined, then switch to the dough hook and mix on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. The dough should be soft, elastic, and slightly tacky.
Add the flour and mix with a dough whisk or spoon. Use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour if needed. The dough will be sticky and rough. That is correct.
Cover loosely and rest at room temperature for 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 12 days. For pizza, cut off about 290g per 12-inch pie, shape into a ball, rest 15 minutes, then stretch by hand or roll to size. For focaccia, press the entire batch into an oiled sheet pan.
Pizza needs no second rise — stretch and top directly. Focaccia should proof in the pan for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy, then dimple with your fingers and add toppings before baking.
Pizza: bake at 450°F to 500°F for 8 to 12 minutes on a preheated stone or inverted sheet pan. The crust should be deeply golden with char spots. Focaccia: bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and firm.
Pizza needs no cooling time — eat it hot. Focaccia should cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or cutting board before slicing.
Raw dough keeps in the refrigerator in a lidded container for up to 12 days. Cut off what you need and let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes before stretching. The dough also freezes in portions for up to 3 weeks — thaw in the refrigerator overnight.