It’s not hard, but you do need to follow a few basic rules. Firstly, it’s essential to use the right kind of flour.
Ingredients
- 500 g (3⅓ cups) strong bread flour
- 7 g (1 sachet) dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 300 ml filtered water
- 3 tsp olive oil, plus extra, for greasing
- 15 g fine sea salt
Instructions
Resting time 1 hour or overnight if time permits
Place the flour in a mound on your work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast and sugar to the centre of the well, then pour in the water and oil and combine until a dough comes together. Add the salt, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then stand in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size. If you want to let the dough mature, refrigerate the dough overnight before proving. The following day, remove from the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then prove as per the
Tips
You’ll need a plain flour with a medium protein content and this is sold as strong, baker’s or pizza flour. The second tip is to never combine the salt and yeast together as the salt can kill the yeast and you’ll end up with a brick of a pizza. And finally, if you have time, proving the dough for 24 hours before using not only adds depth of flavour to the dough, it also allows the yeast to fully mature meaning you’ll feel less bloated after eating.
