Ooni Pizza Dough
Servings: 3 pizzas
- 3⅓ cups (500 grams) pizza flour we recommend Caputo pizza flours. Substitute all-purpose flour, 00 flour, or bread flour.
- 1¼ cups (300 grams) lukewarm water best if at around 77°F or 25°C.
- ¾ teaspoons (2 grams) dry yeast we recommend Red Start active dry yeast, Red Star saf instant, Caputo dry yeast, and Dr. Oetker instant yeast.
- 1½ teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- Detailed step-by-step instructions + tips are in the "How to make Ooni pizza dough" chapter above.ACTIVATING THE YEAST: To a small container, add 1¼ cups lukewarm water and ¾ teaspoons dry yeast. Whisk fast until the yeast is dissolved.
- MIXING: To a large mixing bowl, add 3⅓ cups pizza flour and 1½ teaspoons salt. Stir to combine. Add the water-yeast mixture and mix for about 1 minute with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
- KNEADING: Transfer to a clean worktop and knead for 3 minutes until smooth.Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, covered with a bowl.
- FOLDING: Push down dough and stretch it to make a square (1). Now fold it from right to center (2), left to center (3), top to center (4), and bottom to center (5).Do this one more time, then shape the dough into a smooth ball by turning it against the worktop.
- BULK PROOFING: Transfer dough to large bowl brushed with oil. Brush dough with oil, cover bowl with a plate and set aside in a warm draft-free kitchen corner for about 4 to 6 hours or until it doubles in volume.Tip: For the best and most consistent results, put dough in your kitchen oven turned off, but with the light on.
- BALLING: Transfer proofed dough to a clean worktop and cut it into 3 equal pieces.Stretch each piece gently, and fold it on itself turning it 45 degrees as you fold it.Do this several times until you have a tight ball that’s smooth on the surface.Pinch the seams together then smoothen the ball by rolling it on the worktop.
- SECOND PROOFING: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with flour.Arrange balls on baking tray leaving some space between each ball.Sprinkle with flour and cover with plastic wrap.Set aside in a warm kitchen corner for 30 to 60 minutes.PREHEAT OVEN: Meanwhile, preheat your Ooni oven to 750°F or 400°C. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes and prepare the toppings
- Dust your worktop generously with flour. Next, put your pizza peel next to where you are working and dust it with two pinches of flour.Carefully uncover the one dough ball you are about to work. Keep the others covered.Lift the ball from the baking tray with a flat spatula and gently turn it upside down on the floured worktop.Sprinkle dough with a generous dusting of flour.
- SHAPING THE PIZZA: Gently turn the dough over so that it’s right side up again.Now extend your fingers and put your hands together, the index fingers touching. Start flattening the disc with your fingertips flat.Press down on the second circle in the picture and push/slide away from the center to stretch the dough gently.Leave about ¾ inch or 2 cm on the edges. Avoid touching the rim and avoid touching the center.
- Rotate the dough slightly and repeat until you have a circle of about 10 inches or 25 cm in diameter.Now, bring the dough over your knuckles. Try not to touch the rim and the center much. Work swiftly but gently.Pull your hands away from each other slowly while gently stretching the dough and rotating it. Excess flour should fall off. Extend dough to a 12 to 13 inches or 30 to 33 cm disc.
- Put the stretched Ooni pizza dough on your lightly floured pizza peel.Before adding the toppings, rock the pizza peel back and forth to ensure the pizza slides easily. If it doesn’t, remove it from the peel, dust the peel with flour, and put the dough back on.
- FOR MARGHERITA TOPPING: Top with a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce, spreading it with the back of a spoon.Add a few basil leaves, top with 3.5 ounces/100 grams of mozzarella, and finish with a handful of grated parmesan cheese (optional) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.You need to work fast so the pizza doesn’t stick to the peel.
- Now pull the edges of the pie gently to widen it a little and reach a full size.
- BAKE THE PIZZA: With a laser thermometer, ensure the oven is at around 750°F or 400°C by pointing the laser in the center of the pizza stone.Put the pizza in the center of the Ooni oven.To do that, go inside the oven with the pizza peel, touch the stone at a 15-degree angle, and swiftly pull back the peel under the pizza.
- After 60 seconds, rotate the pizza to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides. Use the second pizza peel to do that so the first one doesn’t get warm.
- If you see the pizza cooking too fast, lower the oven’s flame. This depends on the wind and temperature outside, so keep an eye on the crust.The pizza should cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the oven temperature.
- FINISH: Finish the pizza with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on the rim and fresh basil leaves.Cut the pizza into six wedges. Fold the wedge in half and enjoy!
Nutritional information is for 1 Ooni pizza out of 3, without topping.
MARGHERITA TOPPING
Prepare the ingredients a few hours before baking the pizza and put them in the fridge.
The toppings should be at room temperature when you put them on the pizza, so take them out of the fridge at least 1 hour before baking.
For three margherita pizzas, you’ll need:
- San Marzano tomatoes or whole canned peeled tomatoes: 1 large can (28 ounces/800 grams). You won’t need all of it; there will be some leftovers.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 1 tablespoon for the sauce + more for drizzling.
- Fresh mozzarella (best if Italian style fior di latte): 11 ounces or 300 grams. For vegans, use a vegan cheese that melts.
- Grated parmesan cheese is optional. Use about 1/2 cup, 1.7 ounces, or 50 grams. For vegans, omit the parmesan.
- Fresh basil leaves.
- Sea salt to taste.
