No-Knead Pizza Dough

Plain cheese–but what a crust!

This is the pizza dough I’ve been looking for, for a long, long time. It is simple, and delicious, and I even felt brave enough to slide the dough onto the

pizza stone, from an upside down baking sheet, and let it broil away (but the first time, I cooked it on sheets, and that worked well, too). I loved the crust, and it held up well. I made it for Peter’s 4th birthday last week, and looked around after the party, only to see there weren’t any leftovers. So, I made it again last Friday. Awesome. I’m loving this dough. As Bon Appetit promised, it is chewy, bubbly, crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. And, it couldn’t be easier to make. It comes from the March 2012 Bon Appetit magazine. Just one word: go on the sparse side with the toppings. If you’re more interested in thick toppings, try to deep-dish pizza crust instead. It works wonders for that.

No-Knead Pizza Dough

7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1000 grams) plus more for shaping dough (can substitute up to 2 1/2 c. with whole wheat flour)
4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

1. Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough

Topped with chorizo, peppers, and goat cheese

gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°F) in a draft- free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room).

2. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.

3. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2-3 hours before shaping.

To make the pizzas:
During the last hour of dough’s resting, prepare oven: If using a pizza stone, arrange a rack in upper third of oven and place stone on rack; preheat oven to its hottest setting, 500°F-550°F, for 1 hour. If using a baking sheet, arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to its hottest setting, 500°F-550°F. (You do not need to preheat the baking sheet.)

Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a floured work surface. Gently shape dough into a 10″-12″ disk.

If using a pizza stone:
When ready to bake, increase oven heat to broil. Sprinkle a pizza peel or rimless (or inverted rimmed) baking sheet lightly with flour. Place dough disk on prepared peel and top with desired toppings.

Using small, quick back-and-forth movements, slide pizza from peel onto hot pizza stone. Broil pizza, rotating halfway, until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, 5-7 minutes.

Using peel, transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat, allowing pizza stone to reheat under broiler for 5 minutes between pizzas.

If using a baking sheet:
Arrange dough disk on baking sheet; top with desired toppings. Bake pizza until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat with remaining pizzas.