No-knead Pizza Dough

Photo by The Stay at Home Chef

As this summer without Italy comes to an end and fades into fall, I find myself thinking about all the things I missed most about how my summers usually go. 

Usually there's traveling around the US, and of course the summer retreats in Italy. These trips are filled with my favorite pastimes...sketching and eating. And damn, I've missed eating. 

I've of course missed pasta, but that one dish I'm fairly good at replicating at home without feeling like I'm missing out on the real thing

But one thing I can never quite get right, or find an adequate substitute for is pizza. Even though the struggle is real to find the perfect crust (very thin, still slightly chewy and with crispy, burnt edges from the fire), it never hurts to spend some time trying to recreate the real thing. Especially while stuck in quarantine! 

No-Knead Pizza Dough

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Ingredients:

• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, and extra for shaping dough
• 4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Recipe:

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon. While stirring, slowly add 3 cups water and stir until combined.
2. With your hands, bring the dough together to form a ball. Move dough ball to a larger clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours but this will vary depending on the temperature. If it's less than 72°, you can turn your oven on for a bit and then off and put the dough in the slightly heated over with the door propped open. 
   
3. Once risen, transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.
4. Cover dough with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rest until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.
5. Pizza time! During the last hour of dough's resting, prepare oven but arranging the rack in the middle of the oven and preheating to its hottest setting, 500°–550°. 
   
6. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a floured work surface. Gently shape dough into a 10"–12" disk.
7. Arrange dough disk on baking sheet and cover with desired toppings. A good marinara, some mozzarella and fresh basil is always good. I also really love green bell pepper and onion! 
   
8. Bake pizza until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat with remaining pizzas. Enjoy! 
   

Notes: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2–3 hours before shaping.