Ingredients

Makes 30 ounces (852 grams), enough for three 10-ounce pizzas

Poolish

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water (75°F)

1 cup hard red winter wheat flour

Pinch of instant dry yeast

Dough

2 cups hard red winter wheat flour

2 teaspoons pumpernickel flour

1¼ teaspoons sea salt

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water (75°F)

½ teaspoon instant dry yeast

Directions

1. To make the poolish, first check the water temperature with a thermometer. Place the water in a bowl. Add the flour and yeast and mix with your hands, working out any clumps with your fingers. Set aside at room temperature for 7 hours.

2. To make the dough, combine the wheat and pumpernickel flours with the salt in a bowl, and set aside.

3. After 7 hours, scrape the poolish into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Pour the water into the same bowl that the poolish was in and mix to include any residual poolish. Pour into the bowl along with the dry ingredients and yeast. Mix on low for about 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula or dough scraper. Mix on low for 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 more minutes.

4. Scoop the dough into a sprayed or lightly oiled rectangular or square container. Fold the dough from the bottom up over one-third of the dough. Repeat with the other side, like an envelope. Do this both horizontally and vertically. Flip the dough over by putting your hands under the whole dough so the folds are underneath. Let rest, covered, for 1 hour at room temperature.

5. Repeat the same set of folds and let rest for 1 hour.

6. Finally, repeat a third set of the same folds and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 (10-ounce) pieces. Round the pieces by tucking the sides of the dough under and let rest again before gently rolling out into 7-inch rounds for pizzas. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450°F. Top your pizzas as desired and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

Formulation courtesy of Craig Ponsford