There’s nothing worse than a slice of really mediocre pizza. I view that as such a waste. When I want to indulge in something full of cheese and carbs, I want it to be worth it! Pizza dough should be crisp yet chewy yet light and full of flavor and unfortunately that’s rarely what you get at most restaurants or chain pizza shops. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for a good pizza dough recipe. I thought I had a good one but it turns out I was really missing out on things. I had seen this recipe for Jim Lahey’s no-knead pizza dough floating around the internet before but I guess I figured it was too good to be true.
Boy was I WRONG. This pizza dough is seriously the best. It’s ridiculously easy and amazingly delicious. This pizza dough provides the PERFECT texture. You must try it if you haven’t already. I’m so glad I did.
Measure out a few simple ingredients. I used my digital kitchen scale to ensure accuracy. You’d be surprised at how often your flour measurements are off.
Add the water.
Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands (without kneading) until the dough starts to come together into a shaggy ball.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover in plastic, and let rise in a draft-free area at room temperature for up to 18 hours or less, depending on your kitchen, until doubled in size.
Now the dough is ready to be divided into 3 rounds and used to pizza or saved for another time! It’s that easy.
Recipe Rundown
Taste: The longer you let this dough rise the better flavor it develops. I find a lot of restaurant pizza dough is utterly bland. Not this dough!
Texture: The. best. part. This dough is crunchy, chewy, bubbly, light, and thin. It’s a million times better than most pizza doughs I’ve ever tasted.
Ease: Seriously so easy. A few ingredients come together in less than 5 minutes that you leave on the counter to rise for the rest of the day. And it can be made ahead of time. It doesn’t get much better than that. I don’t know if I’ll ever order pizza again.
Appearance: I don’t know about you but I find pizza dough to be sort of rustically beautiful.
Pros: The best pizza dough recipe I’ve ever used or tasted.
Cons: NONE.
Would I make this again? I’ve already made this twice.
This dough is very forgiving. The second time I made it I only let it rise for 5 hours in my hot Arizona kitchen. I also didn't let it rest after shaping for as long as the recipe directed and it still turned out wonderfully.
Yield: about 3 balls of dough (you can easily double this recipe)
3 3/4 cups (500 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (be sure not to use really hot water as that will kill the yeast)
In a medium bowl combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Gradually add the water, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the water is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. You may need to use your hands to fully incorporate the water. Just remember, you don't need to knead!
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a clean large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature in a draft-free place until the dough is doubled in size. This may take up to 18 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Don't worry too much about the time as this dough is very forgiving.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal portions. Take one portion of dough and gather 4 corners to the center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and roll into an even ball. Repeat with remaining portions. Let dough rest, covered, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.
The dough can be made ahead of time. Refrigerate the dough, individually wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap, for 2 to 3 hours before shaping. Freeze the dough, individually wrapped in plastic and placed in ziptop bags, for up to 1 month. Defrost the dough overnight in the fridge then allow to sit at room temperature as directed above before shaping.
The dough is now ready to be shaped into pizza or whatever else you desire.
From Jim Lahey via Bon Appetit
