Basic Pizza Dough: The Recipe from Rossopomodoro

Longing for the charred yet elastic crust of the perfect pizza napoletana? Master the basic recipe for fresh pizza dough and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home anytime. For this recipe, we went to the source: Rossopomodoro, the Napoli-based pizza company that makes traditional Neapolitan pizza before your eyes at our restaurants in New York and Chicago.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 400 grams (400 milliliters) room-temperature water
• 650 grams (5 cups) type 00 flour
• 15 grams (1½ tablespoons) fresh yeast
• 25 grams (1½ tablespoons) salt
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

How to make Basic Pizza Dough

1. Pour the water and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on high for 1 minute. Crumble the fresh yeast into the liquid and mix for another 60-90 seconds. Turn the mixer down to medium and slowly add the flour. Finally, mix the dough on a medium to low setting for 11-14 minutes.
2. With floured hands, take the dough out of the mixer and place it in a lightly floured bowl. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl and let it sit for 45-60 minutes.
3. With floured hands, remove the dough and break it into 250-gram pieces (about ¼ of the dough each). Roll the pieces into round balls by hand. Cover the balls and let them rise for another 45-60 minutes.
4. When the dough has risen, oil 4 (12-inch) baking pans.
5. Dust the dough with flour and begin to open it with your hands. While opening the dough, leave the outermost inch untouched to ensure a nice, airy cornicione, or crust.
6. Lay the opened dough in the baking pan. You now have the base for your pizza.