72-Hour Cold-Ferment Pizza Dough

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the cold water in a separate bowl, then stir in the olive oil. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto an unfloured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic — the dough should spring back slowly when pressed.

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls of roughly 210g each. Place each in its own lightly oiled container, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 48–72 hours. This is unattended time: the dough needs no work from you until the day you bake, so start it two or three days before you want pizza.

Two hours before you plan to bake, take the containers out of the refrigerator and leave the dough, still covered, at room temperature until relaxed and slightly puffed. Cold dough tears instead of stretching, so do not skip this — the balls should feel soft and airy before you shape them.

Turn a ball out onto a lightly floured surface and press from the centre outward with your fingertips, leaving the outer 2cm untouched to form the cornicione. Stretch to a 30cm round over your knuckles. Use immediately, or refrigerate the shaped bases for up to 2 hours.