Piattini
Put the flour, dry yeast and 330 g of room-temperature water in the stand mixer bowl. Knead with the dough hook on low speed for 4–5 minutes, until all the flour is absorbed and there are no dry bits left.
Tip: At this stage the dough doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth.
Stop the mixer and let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
Tip: This short rest helps the dough absorb the water you add next.
Start kneading again on medium-low speed. Add the salt and gradually work in the remaining 45 g of water. Pour a little at a time and wait until each addition is absorbed before adding the next.
Tip: Adding the water slowly lets the dough absorb it without losing its structure.
Drizzle in the olive oil and keep kneading for another 8–12 minutes, until the dough is elastic, fairly smooth and gathered around the hook.
Tip: The dough may still stick a little to the bottom of the bowl. Don’t add flour to dry it. If it gets too warm, stop the mixer for a few minutes. The ideal final temperature is about 25–26 °C.
Lightly oil a container, transfer the dough into it and cover.
Tip: Use a container big enough for the dough to grow in volume.
Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. With oiled hands, gently lift it from the centre and let both ends fold underneath. Repeat a couple of times.
Tip: Work gently without deflating or tearing the dough.
Cover again, wait another 15 minutes, then repeat the same set of folds with lightly oiled hands.
Tip: The folds strengthen the dough without adding more flour.
Cover the container and let the dough rise at about 26–28 °C for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, until it has almost doubled and looks visibly puffy.
Tip: You can use the oven switched off with the light on, checking it doesn’t get too warm. Watch the volume more than the clock, as a cool kitchen may need more time.
Generously oil a pan of about 30 × 40 cm and gently tip the dough into it. With oiled fingers, spread it towards the edges without squashing the bubbles too much.
Tip: Don’t use a rolling pin and don’t pull the dough hard.
If the dough springs back and doesn’t reach the corners straight away, cover it and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. Then stretch it again with oiled fingers, gently easing it to the edges of the pan.
Tip: Resting relaxes the gluten so you can finish stretching without deflating the dough.
Cover the pan without letting the cover touch the surface and let it rise for about 60 minutes. Before baking, the dough should look soft, puffy and airy.
Tip: Stretching and rising in the pan take about 1 hour 15 minutes in total.
During the second rise, preheat the oven to 250 °C (conventional, no fan) for at least 35–40 minutes.
Tip: A really hot oven and pan help you get a well-risen, crisp base.
Gently spread the tomato, seasoned beforehand with oil and salt, over the surface, taking care not to squash the bubbles in the dough.
Tip: The mozzarella goes on only in the second stage of baking. For the focaccia version, sprinkle the surface with poppy seeds instead of tomato, like I did.
Place the pan on the lowest rack and bake at 250 °C (conventional) for 12–15 minutes.
Tip: Check that the base is starting to brown before adding the mozzarella.
Spread the well-drained mozzarella over the pizza and move the pan to the middle rack. Bake for another 7–10 minutes, until the mozzarella has melted and the base is golden.
Tip: Draining the mozzarella well stops it from releasing too much water onto the pizza.
As soon as it’s ready, take the pizza out of the pan and put it on a wire rack for a few minutes before cutting.
Tip: The wire rack stops condensation from softening the base.
Sofi’s tips