Add salt to cool water in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved.

Add about 10% of the flour (50g) to the salt water. Mix to create a slurry. This prevents direct salt-yeast contact.

Sprinkle yeast into the slurry. Mix to dissolve.

Pour in the rest of the flour. Mix with a stiff spatula or your hand until no dry flour remains.

Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes. This lets the flour hydrate.

Turn dough onto a clean surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should pass the windowpane test.

Form dough into a smooth ball by pulling edges underneath.

Put in a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover tightly.

Let rise at room temperature (70-75°F / 21-24°C) for 2 hours. Dough should look slightly puffy but won't double.

Gently turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Using a bench scraper, divide into 4 equal pieces (~265g each). Use a scale for consistency.

Working with one piece at a time, pull the edges underneath to create surface tension. Rotate on the counter using cupped hands to form a tight, smooth ball.

Put each ball in a lightly oiled individual container or zip-lock bag. Leave room for expansion.

Cover tightly and place in refrigerator.

Keep dough balls in the refrigerator at 38-40°F (3-4°C) for 48-72 hours.

Balls will slowly expand. This is normal.

48 hours minimum. 72 hours gives deeper flavor.

Take dough balls out 3-4 hours before you plan to bake.

Leave in containers or cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Dough is ready when it's relaxed, puffy, and jiggly when you shake the container. Poke test: press gently with a floured finger. It should spring back slowly.

Generously flour your work surface with AP flour or semolina.

Gently flip dough ball onto floured surface.

Using fingertips, press from the center outward, leaving the outer 1" untouched. This creates the cornicione.

Pick up the dough. Let gravity help. Rotate and gently stretch, passing it hand to hand. Work from the center, not the edges.

Stretch to 10-12" diameter. The center should be thin (almost translucent), edges puffy.

Place stretched dough on a floured pizza peel. Work quickly. Give it a shake to make sure it slides.

Press center with fingertips, leaving 1" rim untouched

Pick up dough, rotate and stretch using gravity

Pass hand to hand, gently pulling from center

Place on floured peel, adjust shape as needed

Divide dough into 6 balls instead of 4 (~175g each)

Follow same stretching technique

Great for kids or appetizer-sized pizzas

Position rack in upper third of oven

Place steel/stone on rack. Preheat oven to maximum (500-550°F / 260-288°C) for at least 45-60 minutes

Turn broiler to high for the last 5 minutes of preheat

Stretch dough, add toppings sparingly. Slide pizza onto steel/stone using a quick shimmy motion

Switch between broiler and bake as needed. Bake 6-8 minutes until crust is golden with some char, cheese is bubbling

Remove with peel, let rest 1 minute before slicing

Heat pizza oven to 800-900°F (425-480°C) stone temperature

Stretch dough, add toppings (less is more). Launch pizza onto stone

Rotate every 15-20 seconds using turning peel

Bake 60-90 seconds until leopard spotted and cheese is bubbling

Remove immediately, rest 1 minute

Preheat cast iron on stovetop over high heat for 10 minutes

Preheat broiler with rack 6-8" from element

Place stretched dough in hot skillet

Add toppings quickly

Cook on stovetop 60-90 seconds until bottom chars

Transfer skillet under broiler for 45-60 seconds until top is spotted and bubbly

Slide pizza out, rest 1 minute