Pizza Perfetta: Authentic Italian Dough

This delicious pizza dough recipe was developed by Fabio Cappellano from Qual'Italia. Fabio is an Italian pizza consultant and the owner of Qual'Italia, a consultancy specializing in authentic Italian products and techniques. His passion for traditional Italian cuisine shines through in every detail of this dough.

Ingredients (for 8 dough balls)

• 1 kg Italian Farina tipo 00 (pizza flour)
• 800 ml water at room temperature
• 4 g dry yeast
• 10 g sugar
• 20 g sea salt
• Semolina flour for storing the dough balls
• Olive oil to prevent drying out

Tools needed

• Large bowl (at least 1 liter)
• Clean, flat work surface
• Clean hands
• Spatula
• Container or bowl for dough rising
• Damp towel or plastic wrap

Preparation

1. Make the starter: Mix 500 ml of water with sugar and yeast in a bowl and stir gently until foam appears. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add 100 g of flour and mix until smooth and lump-free. Let it rest again.
2. On the work surface, make a mound with the remaining 800 g of flour and mix in the salt. Create a well in the center and pour in the starter. Gradually incorporate the flour from the edges using a circular motion. Slowly add the remaining water and knead until a smooth dough forms. Knead vigorously for 15 to 25 minutes until elastic. If needed, add the remaining 100 g of flour.
3. Lightly coat your hands with olive oil and shape the dough into a round ball. Place it in a bowl dusted with semolina flour. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for at least 4 hours at room temperature, preferably 6 hours.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, then divide each part into 4 equal pieces to make 8 dough balls of about 220 g each.
5. Place the dough balls in a shallow dish with semolina flour and let them rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
6. Ready to use! Gently flatten a dough ball to a 20 cm disk. Lift the edges and gently turn to stretch it further to 26-28 cm.
7. Place the dough on a semolina-dusted surface, add sauce and toppings, transfer to a pizza peel, and bake in a preheated oven. Buon appetito!

Cooking for more or fewer people?

• 4 people: halve the quantities for 4 dough balls.
• 16 people: double the quantities for 16 dough balls.

Buon appetito!