Method

1. Put your yeast in a small container and add about a tablespoon of warm water and rest for a few minutes to allow it to activate.  Don’t add too much water because you don’t want to throw off your measured water later.

2. Measure out flour using a gram scale.  Always use grams if possible when baking or making dough, it is more precise.  If you don’t have a gram scale, then google the conversions in wt oz or cups/ tsps.

3. Add salt and sugar, mix with flour.  By now, the yeast and water should look like a silky, cloudy liquid.  This is how you know it is activated.  If it doesn’t you might need new yeast.

4. Add the water to the flour, then the yeast.  Use some of the water to rinse the yeast so you get all of it in the dough.  Mix by hand until the flour and water are incorporated.

5. Add the olive oil and work that into the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm space.

6. After 30 minutes, remove plastic and apply a stretch and fold: pull up one end of the dough until it won’t stretch anymore and fold it back over the dough. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat this all the way around the dough. Flip the dough back over and return to bowl. Recover the bowl with plastic. Repeat this again after another 30 minutes.

7. Let dough rise until doubled in size (1 - 1 ½ hours).

8. Now to roll the dough, lightly flour a work surface so the dough doesn’t stick.  Cut the dough into two halves. Using both hands knead it on the counter.  I like to think of my hands as going in an “X” pattern.  Do this until the dough starts to firm up a bit.  To finish place the dough in front of you. Cup your hands and pull it towards you, keeping your hands cupped.  Do this a few times until it feels like a ball.

9. If using right away, cover and let the dough proof at room temp for 1 hour.  If not using right away, lightly oil the dough and place in a ziploc bag for up to two days.  Let the dough come to room temp before stretching.