Poolish Fermented Pizza Dough

 

Poolish

1 ¼ cups double zero flour

¾ cup room temperature water

½ tsp instant yeast

Dough

1 cup room temperature water

2 1/2 cups double zero flour

2 tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

Preparation Poolish

In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all of the ingredients until smooth. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Dough

Add the water to the bowl of poolish. Stir vigorously to dissolve the mixture in the water. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. On a floured work surface with your hands, or in the stand mixer, knead the dough for 5 minutes or until smooth. Dough will be sticky work additional flour into the dough while you knead.

On a work surface and with floured hands, fold the dough over itself and form into a ball. Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.

Keeping the dough in the bowl, sprinkle the surface with flour. Turn the bowl over, letting the dough fall onto a work surface. Cut the dough into two equal pieces. With floured hands, fold each piece of dough over itself and form into a ball. Freeze at this step, if desired. Let sit for 30 minutes on the work surface before forming pizza and adding toppings.