In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt, sugar, and instant-yeast until evenly distributed.

Add the water and olive oil to the dry ingredients.

Using a stiff spatula, dough whisk, or the dough hook on low speed, mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and sticky at this point.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and makes kneading easier.

If using a stand mixer, knead on medium speed with the dough hook for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself, rotating 90 degrees, and repeating. Continue for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Pull off a small piece of dough and stretch it thin. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through without it tearing, the gluten is fully developed.

Shape the dough into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath and rotating on the counter.

Lightly oil a large bowl or container with a lid.

Place the dough ball in the bowl, turning to coat with oil.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel.

For same-day pizza: Let rise at room temperature (70-75°F) until doubled in size, about 1.5-2 hours.

For cold-ferment: Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 24-72 hours. The dough will rise slowly and develop complex flavors.

If cold-fermented, remove from fridge. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out.

Using a bench-scraper, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (about 215g each for 12-inch pizzas) or 2 pieces (about 430g each for 16-inch pizzas).

Working with one piece at a time, pull the edges toward the center to create surface tension. Flip seam-side down and cup your hands around the ball. Rotate on the counter, tucking the edges underneath to create a smooth, taut ball.

Place balls on a lightly oiled sheet pan, leaving space between them. Brush or drizzle tops with olive oil.

Cover with plastic wrap. Same-day: Rest 30-60 minutes. Cold ferment: Rest 2-3 hours to warm up and relax.

Set your oven to maximum temperature (500-550°F) with your pizza-stone or steel inside. Preheat for at least 45-60 minutes.

Generously flour your work surface with all-purpose flour or a mix of flour and semolina.

Dust one dough ball generously with flour on all sides.

Using your fingertips, press from the center of the dough outward, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge for the crust. Don't press the border—that's where your puffy edge comes from.

Pick up the dough and drape it over your knuckles (not fingertips—they'll poke through). Let gravity pull the dough down while you slowly rotate it, working around the edges. The center should stay thinner than the edge.

Lay the dough back down and use your fingers to stretch any thick spots. For 12-inch pizzas, aim for roughly 12 inches diameter. For 16-inch, stretch to 16 inches.

Dust your pizza-peel generously with semolina or flour. Transfer the stretched dough to the peel. Give it a shake to make sure it slides freely.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of pizza sauce onto the center of the dough. Use the back of a ladle to spread in a spiral motion, leaving the border clean.

For classic NY style, use low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, shredded or sliced. Don't overload—you should still see sauce peeking through.

Add any additional toppings sparingly. Less is more.

Give the peel one final shake to confirm the pizza slides. Open the oven and use a quick forward motion to slide the pizza onto the hot stone.

Bake for 8-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown with some charred spots, the cheese is bubbling with light brown spots, and the bottom is crispy (lift with a spatula to check).

If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pizza 180 degrees halfway through baking.

For extra char, turn on the broiler for the last 60-90 seconds. Watch carefully!

Remove pizza to a wire rack or cutting board. Let rest 2 minutes before slicing. This lets the cheese set slightly.

Press dough from center outward with fingertips, leaving ½-inch border unpressed for puffy edge.

Drape dough over your knuckles and rotate slowly, letting gravity stretch it.

For 12-inch personal pizzas or 16-inch large. Should be thin enough to see light through center.

Press and stretch dough to about 8 inches diameter.

Drape over one fist, then toss to the other. Let spinning momentum stretch the dough.

Advanced technique—practice with a room-temp dough ball before pizza night!

Oil a sheet pan generously with olive oil.

Press dough into pan, stretching to corners. If dough springs back, rest 15 minutes and try again.

Let rest 30-45 minutes before topping.

Bake at 475°F on bottom rack, 15-20 minutes.

Place stone or steel on middle or upper-middle rack.

Preheat at max temp for 45-60 minutes minimum.

Stretch dough, add toppings on floured peel.

Slide pizza onto stone with a quick forward motion.

Bake 8-12 minutes, rotating halfway if needed.

Broil for 60-90 seconds at end for extra char.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat on stovetop, 3-4 minutes.

Stretch dough to fit skillet.

Place dough in hot skillet (no oil needed). Cook on stovetop 2-3 minutes until bottom sets.

Add toppings while on stove.

Transfer to oven, bake 5-7 minutes until top is done.

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Oil sheet pan lightly.

Stretch dough onto pan and add toppings.

Bake on lowest rack, 12-15 minutes.

Rotate halfway through. Check bottom for browning.

Heat oven to 800-900°F.

High heat is unforgiving—have everything ready.

Launch pizza onto stone.

Rotate every 15-20 seconds.

Total bake time: 60-90 seconds. Watch carefully!