Pizza dough

Directions

1. Begin by hydrating the yeast in a small amount (roughly 2 tablespoons) of the water measured out. Mix well and set aside for later.

2. Place the flour in a bowl and add the rest of the water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, which will take 2-3 minutes. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour.
3. After an hour, stretch and fold the dough a couple of times (this involves taking a portion of the dough in your hand, stretching it out as far as it will go, and folding it over on itself). Next, add the hydrated yeast and use the same stretch and fold technique until the yeast is fully incorporated into the dough. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes.
4. Next, add the salt and knead the dough for another 1-2 minutes or until you can't feel the grains of salt anymore.
5. Place the dough into a clear airtight container and flatten the top. Cover and use some tape to mark where the dough comes to on the container, so you can keep track of how much it rises. The dough should double in size, which will take about 6-10 hours depending on the temperature of your environment and the activity of the yeast.
6. Once it has doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a bench and stretch and fold a couple of times, then divide the dough into 270g pieces. This recipe should yield 6 portions.
7. To form the dough into balls, take each piece and fold it in on itself 3-4 times. Then, with the dough ball on the bench, pull it towards yourself using your hand. Aim for the dough ball to be nice and smooth on the top.
8. Place the dough balls into an airtight container. If you have more than one in the container, ensure you leave enough room for the dough to relax. Cover the container and place it in the fridge for at least 24 hours, though 48 hours is preferable.
9. Remove the dough from the fridge 1-2 hours before you intend to make pizza, allowing them time to come to room temperature before stretching.