Original Italian Pizza Dough

Method

• 1
  Dissolve the fresh yeast, sugar, and olive oil thoroughly in 500 ml of lukewarm water. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water-yeast mixture, and stir slowly with the dough hook. Once the flour has combined with the liquid, add the salt.
• 2
  Knead the dough at medium speed for about 10 minutes. Then turn it out onto a floured work surface, form it into a ball, and brush with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent the surface from drying out. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• 3
  Divide the rested dough into 6 equal portions and form them into smooth balls. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until their volume has doubled. Then let them mature overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, remove the dough balls from the refrigerator about 1 hour before preparation.
• 4
  Generously flour the work surface. Place a dough ball on it, flatten it with the palm of your hand, and stretch it out with your fingers from the inside outwards to form a circle, leaving a slightly raised edge. Turn the dough and continue to stretch it until it is large enough. Carefully lift the dough, flour it again, and gently continue to stretch it with circular hand movements until a diameter of about 32 cm is reached.
• 5
  Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Preheat a baking sheet upside down or a pizza stone in the oven.
• 6
  Place the prepared dough base on a suitable piece of parchment paper and top as desired, leaving the edge free. Carefully slide the pizza, along with the paper, onto the hot baking sheet or stone in the oven and bake until golden brown.
• 7
  Tip: 'Shaping' the dough balls ensures a smooth surface and even tension in the dough. Only well-matured dough yields a perfect result. If the dough tears while stretching, simply press it gently back together. The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days but should not be frozen. Since household ovens do not reach the heat of a professional pizza oven (400-500 °C), simply bake the pizza until the crust is beautifully golden brown and crispy.