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3 day poolish pizza dough
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3 Day Poolish Pizza Dough

This 3 day poolish pizza dough makes the best crusts! Chewy & crisp, this dough has incredible oven spring & a well developed flavour.
Cold Prove3 days
Total Time3 days
Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5 Pizzas
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Digital Scales
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Digital Food Probe
  • 5 Round Storage Tubs With Lids
  • Dough Scraper
  • Bench Knife

Ingredients

Poolish

  • 200 g 00 Flour
  • 200 g Water 25.5°c/78°f
  • 0.8 g Dried Active Yeast

Dough

  • 600 g 00 Flour
  • 300 g Water 25.5°c/78°f
  • 20 g Olive Oil
  • 20 g Maldon Salt

Instructions

Poolish

  • Pour the water into a mixing bowl, add in the yeast & stir to dissolve. Add in the flour & mix until just combined.
  • Transfer the poolish into an airtight container & cover with a lid. Leave to sit at room temperature for 1 hour then place in the fridge for 18-24 hours.
    Make sure to use a container with plenty of extra room! The poolish will double in size.

Dough

  • The next day, take the poolish out of the fridge & leave to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • In the meantime, place the flour, water & olive oil into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the dough hook until just combined then leave to autolyse for an hour.
  • Next, pour the poolish into the dough & mix on a medium speed until incorporated. Add in the salt & continue mixing until the dough passes the windowpane test. This will take 10-15 minutes on a medium speed.
  • Cover the bowl with clingfilm (or a tea towel) & leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Next, tip the dough out onto a clean worksurface, divide into 5 even pieces then shape into balls. Each ball of dough should weigh around 260g.
  • Lightly oil 5 round storage containers then place a ball of dough into each.
  • Place in the fridge & leave to ferment for 36-48 hours.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge 1½ - 2 hours before using for pizza.
  • To make into pizza, first tip the dough out onto a floured worksurface then flip over so that the dough is facing the same was as it was in the container.
  • Using your fingertips, press the dough into a disc. Starting from the centre & working to the edge, making sure to leaving a 1-2 cm border (this will be the crust).
  • To stretch, I like to use a method know as "The Steering Wheel" stretch. Here's how...
    Using both hands, pick the dough up from one edge & hold it in front of you like a steering wheel. Now rotate the dough in your hands, pinching to form a crust as you do so.
    As the dough rotates, gravity will stretch it into a large circle.
    With this method you have full control on the thickness of the crust. If you'd prefer a thinner crust, pinch the dough nearer the edge. For a thicker crust, pinch more towards the centre.
  • Top the dough with a light layer of toppings then cook in a pizza oven at 400°c - 450°c (750°f/840°f) for 1-1½ minutes turning regularly with a peel to stop it burning.

Notes

This recipe makes 5 pizza doughs. Each will make a 12" pizza.
For this recipe, I used Caputo's Nuvola flour but you could also use their Classica or Pizzeria flour.
To weigh the 0.8g of yeast out, you'll need a set of micro scales. If you haven't got any it equates to a ¼ tsp of yeast.
This dough cooks best in a pizza oven but can also be cooked in a home oven turned up to its' highest setting.
Use your hands to stretch the dough out before topping. This keeps the gas trapped in the dough, giving the pizza a better crust.
If you're like me & use a Gozney Roccbox, this dough cooks best when the oven is preheated to 400°c - 450°c (750°f/840°f) & the flame is set to medium.