Recipe from Jon Roberts, chef and wood-fired oven specialist, Blacksburg.
With its slow rise, this dough has plenty of time to develop a slightly tangy flavor as it rests in the refrigerator. If you don’t use the full recipe, extra dough can be stored in the freezer.
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon instant yeast 2 cups ice-cold water
Chill water in freezer until cold but not frozen. Add water to stand mixer, pour in yeast and whisk briefly. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add about 80% of flour to the water in stand mixer and mix from low to medium for about 3 minutes. The dough should resemble cake batter. Let rest for 3 minutes.
Turn mixer to medium and add flour in small increments until the dough begins pulling away from the sides. Don't mix longer than 5 minutes! You don’t want to heat up the dough and activate the yeast just yet, as most of the gluten and flavor development will happen as the dough ages in the refrigerator.
Place dough on a floured work surface and quickly form it into a ball (dough will be sticky and wet). Transfer dough into an airtight container or plastic zipper bag, big enough for it to double in size. Place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours.
Pull dough out two hours before making pizza. Shape dough into 6-ounce balls, then dunk both sides in flour and place on counter or in a sheet pan. Sprinkle a little bit more flour on top and cover balls with plastic wrap. Let rest until the dough has relaxed, roughly 2 hours.
Makes 4 12" pizzas
