Imagine creating restaurant-quality pizza without the hassle of kneading or complicated techniques. Jim Lahey's revolutionary no-knead pizza dough is about to transform your home cooking experience, delivering crispy, authentic Italian-style pizzas that will make your taste buds dance with joy! This incredibly simple method requires just four ingredients and minimal effort, proving that anyone can become a pizza maestro with the right technique.
Prep Time: 12 hrs
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 12 hrs 15 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2 pizzas
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast, and 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together until they are well mixed.
- Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of room temperature water to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture forms a shaggy, wet dough. Make sure all the flour is incorporated, but do not overmix.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 12 to 18 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has a bubbly surface.
- After the resting period, lightly flour a clean surface and turn the dough out onto it. With floured hands, gently shape the dough into a ball, being careful not to deflate it too much.
- Place the shaped dough onto a floured surface or into a floured proofing basket. Cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for another 1 to 2 hours until it puffs up slightly.
- While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) and place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet in the oven to heat up for at least 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, carefully transfer it to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions for two pizzas. Gently stretch or roll out each portion into your desired pizza shape and thickness.
- Transfer the stretched dough onto a sheet of parchment paper for easy handling. Add your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings.
- Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, carefully slide the pizza (with the parchment paper) onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake the pizza for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
- Once baked, remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a minute before slicing. Repeat the process with the second portion of dough.
- Serve your homemade no-knead pizza hot and enjoy!
Tips
- Patience is key: The long fermentation (12-18 hours) develops incredible flavor and texture, so don't rush the process.
- Use room temperature water to activate the yeast properly and ensure even dough development.
- Don't overwork the dough - gentle handling preserves those beautiful air pockets that create a light, crispy crust.
- Preheat your pizza stone or baking sheet thoroughly to achieve that professional crispy bottom.
- For extra flavor, experiment with adding herbs like dried oregano or rosemary to your dough mixture.
- If you're short on time, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days, which can actually enhance its flavor.
- Use parchment paper for easy pizza transfer and to prevent sticking.
- Let the pizza rest for a minute after baking to allow the cheese to set and make slicing easier.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 330kcal
Carbohydrates: 68g
Protein: 9g
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
