Pizza dough

1. Mix the yeast with 3 T tepid water. Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer, then add the yeast mixture and water.

2. Mix until the dough releases from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, and mix to incorporate.

3. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with clingwrap and allow to stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls and place on a tray. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel or place in individual airtight greased bowls to prevent a crust from forming and allow to stand for 2–3 hours. The dough is sticky, you won’t be able to roll it out using a rolling pin, you must hand-stretch it.

5. Place each ball of dough into a plate of flour and push and stretch from the inside outwards to your desired thickness and size, taking care not to squash the crust.

6. This base has to cook as fast and as hot as possible, 2–5 minutes in a hot pizza oven. If you don’t have a pizza oven, cook the base in a hot cast-iron pan over a high heat on the stove, then flip over and top with your preferred toppings and finish off in the oven. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature, then turn on the grill just before baking the pizza for best results.

Cook’s note: Find fresh yeast at your local bakery

Find more pizza recipes here.

Photographs: Sadiqah Assur-Ismail

Recipes and production: Hannah Lewry and Anthony Hoard

Food assistant: Kate Ferreira