Ingredients
- 500g Type 00 flour or strong white (4 ½ cups)
- 300g water (1 ¼ cup)
- 10g salt (2 tsp)
- Yeast*
* You can use fresh yeast: 7g (¼ oz), active dry yeast: 3g (½ tsp), or instant dried yeast: 2g (½ tsp).
Directions
- Place two-thirds of the water in a large bowl.
- In a saucepan or microwave, bring the other third of water to boil, then add it to the cold water in the bowl. (This creates the correct temperature for activating yeast.)
- Whisk the salt and yeast into the warm water.
If mixing by hand:
- Place the flour in a large bowl and pour the yeast mixture into it. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form.
- Continue mixing by hand until the dough comes together in a ball.
- Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes, until it is firm and stretchy.
- Return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours.
If mixing with a mixer:
- Fit the mixer with the dough hook and place the flour in the mixer bowl.
- Turn the machine on at a low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour.
- Once combined, leave the dough to keep mixing at the same speed for 5–10 minutes, or until the dough is firm and stretchy.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours.