Ken Forkish’s Pizza Dough

Instructions

• 1

  Mix the water and salt by hand in a large 6-quart bowl or container. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 1 minute, then swoosh the water around in the bowl to blend in the yeast. Add the flour. Use your active hand to mix the ingredients together until they form a cohesive dough. Keep a container of water next to you, wet your other hand and use it to squeegee the dough bits off your active hand (trust me!). This only takes a minute. Then let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

  Tip: Desired dough temp is 78°F to 80°F.
• 2

  Knead lightly, in the bowl, until smooth. Let rest covered for 90 minutes.

• 3

  Chop and ball the dough on a floured counter. This recipe makes 4 dough balls of 7½ oz each, but I prefer to make up 3 dough balls at 9 oz each, and a small dough ball with the remainder for a mini pizza. You have options.

• 4

  Place dough balls on a floured tray or dinner plate and cover with plastic wrap. Hold at room temperature for about 6 hours, then refrigerate. Timeline assumes a 70°F kitchen. If yours is warmer, say 75°F, then your hold time before refrigerating would be 4 to 5 hours.

• 5

  The next day or up to 3 days later, remove the dough balls from the refrigerator 60 to 90 minutes before you want to make pizza. They need enough time to relax so they stretch easily.

  Tip: Cook the topped pizza in the Smart Oven® Pizzaiolo on manual mode. Deck temperature 750°F, Top temperature 750°F, Top control set to Crust only) for about 3 minutes.