Chewy Artisan Pizza Dough with Crispy, Bubbly Crust Recipe
This artisan pizza dough recipe creates a crispy, chewy, and bubbly crust perfect for homemade pizzas. Featuring a high hydration and long fermentation, it yields a soft, billowy texture with blistered bubbles and a crispy bottom, ideal for 12-inch pies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 2 12-inch pizzas
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500g (3 ¾ cups plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 375g (1 ½ cups water plus 2 tbsp) warm water, divided
- 1g (¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 10g (1 ½ tsp) fine salt
Instructions
- Mix and Rest: In a large bowl, combine the flour with all but 1 tablespoon of the warm water. Stir until just combined, then cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Dissolve Yeast and Add Salt: Sprinkle yeast over the remaining warm water and let it dissolve. Sprinkle salt over the dough surface. Stir the yeast mixture and pour over the dough.
- Fold and Incorporate Ingredients: Wet your hand lightly, reach under the dough, and stretch a section over the top, folding it. Repeat multiple times until the yeast and salt are fully mixed and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and rest for about an hour.
- Gluten Development - First Fold: Wet your hand and fold the dough one time by stretching up a section underneath and folding it over the center. Rotate and perform 4-5 more folds until the dough tightens into a ball. Invert the dough into a lightly greased clean bowl with the seam down and a smooth top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 5-6 hours.
- Divide and Shape Dough Balls: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and cut in half. Work with one piece at a time, stretch each edge toward the center folding back to form a loose ball. Turn seam side down and gently drag the ball on the counter to create tension, rotating as you go until the dough is tight and round.
- Second Rise: Place shaped dough balls on a greased plate, lightly oil the tops, cover, and rest at room temperature for about an hour. If not using immediately, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Surface: Place a pizza steel, stone, or inverted baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat oven to 500°F (or highest setting) for at least 45 minutes. Alternatively, grease a cast iron pan with olive oil and set aside.
- Shape Pizza Dough: On a floured surface, flatten dough ball into a disk leaving a 1-inch thick edge. Lift and use gravity to gently stretch dough into a 12-inch circle. Place dough circle onto a floured pizza peel or into prepared cast iron pan.
- Add Toppings and Bake: Spread sauce and toppings over the dough, keeping a 1-inch perimeter clear. Slide pizza onto hot steel or stone and bake for 5 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil for 2-4 minutes until cheese melts and crust blisters and browns. If using cast iron pan, bake 15-20 minutes, then broil briefly for charred spots.
- Repeat: Repeat shaping, topping, and baking steps with the second dough ball to make a second pizza.
Notes
- High hydration (75%) dough creates open crumb and bubbly crust but can be sticky; lightly oil hands for handling.
- Long fermentation (5-6 hours) develops flavor and texture.
- Using a pizza stone or steel preheated at high temperature ensures a crispy bottom crust.
- Broiling at the end adds a charred finish and bubbles on cheese and crust.
- Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days after shaping; bring to room temperature before baking.
