Neapolitan Pizza

Make the dough

1. Choose your water temperature. For a same-day dough, use lukewarm water (around 95°F). If you are doing a longer fermentation (especially in a warm kitchen), use cool water so the dough does not race ahead.

2. Mix water and yeast. In a large bowl, stir the water and instant yeast to combine.

3. Add flour, then rest. Add the flour and mix until you have a shaggy dough with no dry patches. Let it sit 10 minutes. It will feel sticky and a little rough right now. That is normal.

4. Add salt (and oil) and knead. Sprinkle in the salt and knead in the bowl until the dough looks smoother and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. If using olive oil, knead it in near the end. The dough should feel tacky, not soupy. If it is very sticky, use lightly wet hands and give it a couple rests rather than adding lots of flour.

5. Rest and fold. Cover and rest 15 minutes. Do 1 to 2 gentle stretch-and-fold rounds (grab an edge, stretch up, fold over) to strengthen the dough. Cover again.

6. Ferment (pick your path).

   Option A: Same-day Let the dough rise at room temp until puffy and close to doubled, 1 to 2 hours (longer if your kitchen is cool).

   Option B: Cold ferment (best flavor) Let the dough sit at room temp 30 to 60 minutes to get fermentation started, then refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. If you plan to go closer to 24 hours, you can reduce the yeast to about 1 g. Before shaping, bring the dough to room temp 1 to 2 hours.

7. Divide. Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape into tight balls. Cover and rest 45 to 60 minutes.

Heat the oven

1. Preheat steel or stone. Place a pizza steel or stone on the top third of the oven. Preheat at the highest setting (usually 500°F to 550°F) for 45 to 60 minutes.

2. Optional broiler boost. If your oven allows it safely, switch to broil for 5 minutes right before launching the pizza to supercharge the top heat.

Make the sauce

1. Stir. Mix crushed tomatoes, salt, olive oil, and optional garlic. Taste. It should be bright and lightly salty. Neapolitan-style sauce is typically no-cook, so keep it simple and fresh.

Shape, top, and bake

1. Shape the dough. On a lightly floured surface, press one dough ball into a disk, leaving a thicker rim. Stretch gently into a 10 to 12 inch round. Avoid the rolling pin so you keep that airy edge. If it fights you, rest 10 to 15 minutes and try again.

2. Transfer to the peel. Dust a peel with semolina or flour, then place the dough on it. Give it a quick shake. If it sticks now, it will stick later, so fix it with a little more flour under any tacky spots.

3. Top lightly. Spoon on 1/3 to 1/2 cup sauce and spread thinly. Add mozzarella. Neapolitan pizza is not a mountain. It is a good idea with restraint.

4. Bake. Launch onto the hot steel or stone. Bake 6 to 9 minutes until the crust is blistered and the cheese is melted. For more top browning and a few char blisters, broil the last 30 to 90 seconds, watching closely.

5. Finish. Top with basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of flaky salt if you like. Cool 1 minute, then slice and eat while it is still singing.

6. Repeat. Bake the second pizza the same way, letting the steel recover heat for a few minutes if needed.