Home Oven Pizza Dough (500°F Steel)

Mix the flour and water together just enough to wet all the flour. Let sit for 30 minutes. This hydrates the flour and starts gluten development before you do any work.

Add the salt, yeast, olive oil, and honey (or sugar). Mix in the KitchenAid until it comes together into a smooth dough. Note the low yeast amount (1g) — it's cut for the long cold ferment so the dough doesn't over-proof by day 3.

Let the dough bulk rise for 1-2 hours until roughly doubled. During this window, do 2-3 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced about 30 minutes apart. The mixer builds initial gluten; the folds give the final strength that holds up to a longer, lower bake.

Split the dough into even portions of your desired size. Ball tightly and store in the fridge until ready to use — at least a day, up to 5. The cold ferment is where the flavor develops.

Preheat the steel on the top-third rack at max (500°F) for a FULL 45-60 minutes before the first pie — the steel needs to be fully heat-loaded. Launch off a cornmeal-dusted peel. Bake until the bottom is set and the cornicione has some color, then finish under the BROILER for the last 1-2 minutes to char the top, since the steel handles the bottom but the air temp can't brown the top fast enough on its own.