Pizza Italiana

Step 1

To make the dough: Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer using the beater blade, and mix at medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and knead at low speed for 7 minutes; the dough should be smooth and quite soft.

Step 2

, Place the dough in a covered container and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes. After this rise, refrigerate the dough for 4 to 8 hours.

Step 3

, When you’re ready to bake, place a baking stone or steel in the oven and preheat to 450°F.

Step 4

, Deflate the dough and shape it into one large or two smaller balls.  Cover and let rise for 25 minutes.

Step 5

, To shape: Place the dough on a semolina-dusted peel or piece of parchment. Use your fingertips to gently depress the interior of the round, leaving a thicker edge as you stretch it to your desired size (12” to 14” for a large pizza, 9” to 11” for two smaller pizzas).

Step 6

, Top as desired, and bake for 15 to 17 minutes for smaller pies, 22 to 25 minutes for a large pizza, until the crust is golden brown and the top is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.