Favorite Pizza Dough

Great pizza starts with the dough, and this one keeps it gloriously simple: flour, yeast, salt, and water, the same four things Neapolitan pizzaioli have used for generations. No oil, no sugar, no shortcuts needed.

The kneading is where the magic happens. Work the dough until it turns smooth, light, and elastic, because that developed gluten is what gives pizza its signature chew and lets the edges puff.

After about an hour’s rise, divide and roll it into thin twelve-inch rounds. A drizzle of olive oil over each before topping helps the surface crisp and keeps it from going soggy under the sauce.

The single biggest secret to a crisp, blistered base: crank the oven as hot as it goes and bake on a preheated metal tray or stone. That blast of heat from below is what separates homemade pizza from a pale, doughy disappointment.

Pro Tips

• Dissolve the yeast in warm, not hot, water. Water too hot kills the yeast and the dough won’t rise.
• Knead until the dough springs back when poked and feels smooth and elastic, usually 8 to 10 minutes by hand.
• Preheat the tray or stone fully before the dough goes on. That’s the key to a crisp bottom.
• Roll it thin for a crisp crust, or leave it thicker for a chewier, more bread-like base.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the dough for a richer, more tender crust.
• Swap some of the flour for whole wheat or semolina for more flavor and texture.
• Freeze the dough balls after rising for ready-to-go pizza nights.