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How to make homemade pizza dough

A staple recipe, this pizza dough is a must-have for home cooks.
Cut pieces of pizza dough.Photography: Con Poulos / Styling: Steve Pearce
2 x 30cm round pizzas
12H 30M

There’s nothing like crisp homemade pizza straight from the oven, bubbling with cheese and savoury toppings. But while toppings are key, the perfect pizza comes down to the dough with this slow-proof recipe needing only six ingredients to make. Add a little time and patience and you’ll have delectable homemade pizza dough in no time.

“Every memorable pizza begins with a great crust. There’s an unbeatable flavour and soft, chewy texture that only comes from fresh dough.”

Jessica

Ingredients

Method

1.

Combine yeast and 300ml water in a jug and mix to combine. Place yeast mixture, flour, salt and oil in a large bowl and mix well to combine. The dough will look wet and ‘shaggy’ at this stage (add extra 50ml of water if needed). Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12–16 hours (or overnight).

2.

The next day, remove dough from refrigerator. Dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out and divide into 2 portions.

3.

Dust one portion with more flour and press into a flat round using your hands. Working from top to bottom, fold the dough over itself. Then continue to fold left and right to form a smaller ball. At this stage the dough shouldn’t be sticky, if it is, dust with a little more flour. Shape into a small ball seam side down and set aside, covered with a damp tea towel, for 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

4.

Using your hands, press and stretch out one ball at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 25cm round.

5.

Sprinkle 2 large sheets of baking paper with 1 tablespoon each polenta. Lift the first batch of dough onto the paper and using your hands, stretch and press the pizza dough with your fingertips until it is about 30cm diameter, indenting a thicker crust with your fingers at the edges. Repeat with remaining dough.

If you are not using the pizza dough straight away, keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. To make more pizzas, simply double the recipe and divide the dough into desired amount of pieces.

Tip
Pizza dough kneading.
(Photography: Con Poulos / Styling: Steve Pearce)

Now that you’ve nailed the dough, here’s some inspiration for how to complete the meal!

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