Neapolitan Pizza

For the dough

1. Weigh 450 g water at 73–75°F (22–24°C) into a bowl on a digital scale.

2. Add the yeast and the salt to the water, then stir until dissolved.

3. Add the "00" flour, then stir with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough comes together.

4. Wet your hand, then squeeze and knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and homogeneous, about 30 seconds.

5. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature.

   Then 30 min of waiting

6. Wet your hand, lift one side of the dough up until it stretches near tearing, and fold it back over itself.

7. Repeat the stretch-and-fold four or five times around the bowl, then turn the dough over and tuck it under into a round ball.

8. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature.

   Then 30 min of waiting

9. Repeat the same stretch-and-fold process once more, turning and tucking the dough into a smooth ball.

10. Cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature.

    Then 600 min of waiting

11. Turn the fermented dough onto a lightly floured surface and dust the top with flour.

12. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces of about 275 g each.

13. Lightly slap each piece with your hand to degas it slightly.

14. Lightly spray a plastic sheet tray lid or container with oil spray.

15. Pull each dough piece out, fold the sides over, turn 90 degrees, fold again, then round and tuck it on the board to build surface tension.

16. Transfer the 4 dough balls to the oiled tray, transfer to the refrigerator uncovered, and let cool.

    Then 5 min of waiting

17. Cover the tray with a lid or an inverted metal pan, then let cold ferment in the refrigerator.

    Then 480 min of waiting

    The dough is at its peak after an 8-hour cold ferment, but it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

18. Remove the covered dough tray from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature before shaping.

    Then 60 min of waiting

For the tomato sauce

19. Combine the crushed tomatoes and salt in a bowl or measuring jug.

20. Blend with an immersion blender for about 30 seconds until mostly smooth with a coarse, rustic texture.

To bake and assemble

21. Preheat your pizza oven to full gas for 60 minutes until the dome reaches about 1100°F (590°C), then turn the flame down and let the stone settle to 850–900°F (450–480°C).

    Then 60 min of waiting

22. Dust the dough tray lightly with flour, then use a dough scraper to loosen one dough ball on all sides and flip it into your hand.

23. Lightly flour the cutting board, drop the dough onto it, dust the top side, and gently slap it with your hand to degas it slightly.

24. Starting in the middle with the pads of your fingers, press outward toward the edge, leaving a 1/2- to 1-inch outer rim untouched.

25. Flip the dough over your hand, dust off excess flour, and repeat the pressing from the center outward until the circle reaches 8–9 inches across.

26. Hold the right edge of the dough down on the board, stretch the left side out until you meet resistance, flip it over your wrist, and rotate 45 degrees; repeat until the base reaches 10–11 inches across.

27. Flour a perforated pizza peel generously, then stretch the dough over your wrist once more and lay it onto the peel.

28. Spread about 70 g (2 1/2 ladles) of tomato sauce over the base in a spiral, extending it nearly to the crust edge.

29. Tear about 70 g of buffalo mozzarella into thumb-sized pieces, crush them slightly with your fingers, and scatter them over the sauce.

30. Scatter 6 fresh basil leaves over the pizza, avoiding placing them directly on the cheese.

31. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the basil leaves and the pie, then sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt over the top from a height.

32. Give the peel a light shimmy to confirm the dough moves freely, stretch the edges out to 12 inches if needed, and adjust any thin spots.

33. Turn the pizza oven flame back up to medium-high.

34. Launch the pizza onto the center of the preheated oven stone using a quick forward push and pull.

35. Bake untouched for 20 seconds until the crust springs and bubbles begin to pop on the side closest to the flame.

36. Slide a turning peel under the pizza, lift slightly to check the bottom, and give it a quarter turn.

37. Continue baking, turning the pizza a quarter turn every 15–20 seconds, until the crust is puffed and leopard-spotted, the cheese is melted, and the bottom is charred in spots, about 90 seconds total.

38. Retrieve the pizza with the peel and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to rest.

    Then 1 min of waiting

39. Slice into wedges and serve immediately; repeat steps 22–38 for the remaining 3 dough balls.