Pizza Dough

The flour, sugar, salt, and yeast are mixed evenly before 195 ml of water and 15 ml of olive oil are added. The mixture is gathered until no dry flour remains, then moved to the work surface for 5-8 minutes of kneading. A smooth surface and an indentation that returns slowly after a finger press are the stated cues for stopping. If the dough is excessively sticky, only a small dusting of bread flour is used so the original balance is not changed more than necessary. The rounded dough goes into a bowl and is covered to keep the surface from drying during an approximately 1-hour room-temperature proof. It is ready to divide when the volume is nearly doubled and a pressed mark relaxes slowly. The instructions also provide a cold-fermentation option: at this stage, the covered dough can be refrigerated until the following day instead of being shaped immediately. Before baking, the oven is fully preheated to 250°C or its highest available setting. The dough is divided into two pieces and each is stretched to roughly 30 cm without flattening the rim heavily. After toppings are added, the pizzas bake for 10-12 minutes. A firm base and a puffed, browned edge are the removal cues, followed by a brief rest before slicing.