The Ultimate No-Knead Pizza Dough

No-knead pizza dough is for all the times when you dreamed of crafting perfect, bubbly pizza crust without the hassle of kneading, you’re in for a treat. Jim Lahey, the mastermind behind Sullivan Street Bakery and Sullivan Street Pizza, has revolutionized home baking with his no-knead method. This magical dough recipe will transform your homemade pizza game forever.

Lahey’s no-knead technique first took the baking world by storm in 2006, when he and Mark Bittman introduced it to eager home cooks. The secret? Time does all the work for you. By allowing the dough to ferment slowly, you’ll achieve a perfectly textured crust with minimal effort.

This recipe, adapted from Lahey’s book “My Pizza,” promises to deliver the same crispy, charred perfection you’d expect from a wood-fired oven – right in your home kitchen. Let’s dive into the world of effortless, professional-quality pizza making!

Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Pizza Dough: Your Ticket to Pizza Perfection

Ingredients

• 500g all-purpose flour (17 1/2 ounces; about 3 3/4 cups), plus more for shaping the dough
• 1g (1/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast
• 16g (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
• 350g (1 1/2 cups) water

Directions

1. Start your pizza journey by combining the flour, yeast, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the water and mix thoroughly using a wooden spoon or your hands. This simple step sets the stage for pizza perfection.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the magic happen. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature (about 72°F/22°C) for 18 hours or until it has more than doubled in size. The fermentation time may vary depending on your room’s temperature – be patient, it’s worth the wait!
3. Once your dough has risen, it’s time to shape it. Flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Divide it into 4 equal portions. For each piece, fold the edges towards the center – right side, left side, top, and bottom. Shape each portion into a round, turning it seam-side down. Gently mold each piece into a neat circular mound. If the dough feels sticky, dust it with a bit more flour.
4. If you’re not ready to use the dough right away, you can store it for later. Wrap each ball individually in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to make your pizza, bring the dough back to room temperature by leaving it out on the counter, covered with a damp cloth, for 2 to 3 hours before use.