This artisan pizza dough will give you a billowy soft crust, blistered bubbles and a crispy bottom. It uses a high hydration and long fermentation time for maximum flavor and the perfect crackly, chewy texture.
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I think it’s safe to say that pizza dough is one of the most important parts of a good pizza. The crust is the foundation (literally) of flavor and texture– you should make it as delicious as you can.
So what exactly does it mean to have the best pizza crust? For me, a great artisan pizza has a complex flavor, big bubbles, a creamy crumb and crispy edges. Believe it or not, you can achieve all of these qualities in your home oven with stunning results.
THERE ARE 3 BIG FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE BEST PIZZA DOUGH:
High hydration dough: I prefer to use a dough that is around 75% hydration (the percent of water relative to the amount of flour). This will encourage a lot of gas bubbles, a chewy crust and a complex flavor. But the dough won’t be so sticky that it feels impossible to work with. The dough will also have enough structure to be shaped into a pizza and slid off the peel.
Long bulk fermentation: a small amount of yeast and a slow fermentation will help develop flavor and strength. This pizza dough ferments for about 6 hours at room temperature. For maximum flavor, you can let it slowly ferment in the fridge for up to 2 days.
A surface that can get really hot: This could be a baking steel, pizza stone, inverted baking sheet or cast iron pan, or even an unglazed tile. These surfaces are preheated in your oven to absorb as much heat as possible. The result is a gorgeous artisan pizza with a crackly crisp crust and spots of char.
Note on flour: Yes, high quality 00 flour will give you delicate flavor, chew, and delicious results. I’m a huge proponent of using the best ingredients I can find. But in the case of great homemade pizza crust, flour type comes second to the key techniques outlined above. If you can’t find 00 flour, any good all-purpose flour will work just fine!
TIPS FOR MAKING ARTISAN PIZZA DOUGH:
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