How to make perfect pizza dough

Ingredients

Directions

1. Pour the water into a bowl and mix in the salt and yeast
2. Stir in the flour gradually.
3. Knead vigorously with light criss-cross punches to oxygenate. Relax and smooth the dough, which forms gradually. Try to replicate the movement of the arm of a mechanical mixer.
4. When the dough has absorbed all the flour (the sides and bottom of the bowl are clean) remove from the bowl and continue kneading for 20 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
5. Divide the dough into 220-250g portions (perfect size for a 12-inch pizza), roll each portion into a ball and place on a lightly floured tray, leaving a gap between each one.
6. Cover with a cloth and leave to proof in a dry cool place for six to eight hours.
7. When the proofing time has passed, on a lightly floured surface (just a pinch of flour, no more) stretch the balls one at a time as thinly as possible using your fingertips at first, with the palm of your hand expanding the disc from the centre outwards.
8. Add toppings, bake and enjoy.
   
   Recipe courtesy of Paulie's Pizza 

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Tips

You can make the dough in an electric mixer; knead on speed 1 for 15 minutes. Finish kneading on a worktop, then divide. This makes a lot but dough freezes well.

You can use a rolling pin to stretch out the dough but you will lose the puffy edge that Neapolitan pizza is famous for.