Pizza dough and baking pizza

In short: A classic pizza dough consists only of flour, water, yeast and salt, often with a little olive oil. For a good result at home, a long resting time for the dough and an oven that is as hot as possible are especially important.

In more detail: While the dough rests, an elastic gluten network forms and flavours develop. A slow rise in the fridge over one to several days often makes the dough more flavourful and easier to digest. In the oven, the pizza needs strong heat from below so that the base becomes crisp before the topping dries out.

In detail

• Flour: Italian type 00 flour or, in Germany, wheat flour type 550 works well. They form a strong gluten network.
• Yeast: For a long fermentation, a small amount of yeast is enough. More yeast speeds up rising but gives less flavour (hefeteig-grundlagen, backpulver-hefe-und-natron).
• Kneading: Knead the dough until it is smooth and stretchy. Add the salt only after the first mixing, or do not sprinkle it directly onto the yeast.
• Resting: Leave the dough to rise covered, then divide it into balls. If proved cold in the fridge, let the balls come up to room temperature for a while before baking.
• Shaping: Press and stretch the dough ball with your fingers from the centre outwards. A rolling pin pushes the air out of the rim.
• Oven: Set the oven to its highest setting and preheat it well. A pizza stone or baking steel on the lowest shelf stores heat and passes it to the base.
• Topping: Less is more: a thin layer of tomato sauce, well-drained mozzarella and a few other ingredients. Too much moisture makes the base soggy.
• Baking time: In a domestic oven, depending on the heat, it usually takes only a few minutes up to about ten minutes. The pizza is done when the rim is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
• Caution: Pizza stones and baking steels get extremely hot. Use a pizza peel and oven gloves.