Nikolaj's pizza dough

The flour is the be-all and end-all for making the perfect pizza dough. You need to use a special-grade flour, which can be Tipo 0 or Tipo 00. The decisive factor here is the protein percentage which must be 12.5% or higher. The protein percentage contributes to a strong gluten structure.

Pour water into a bowl, add salt and mix well.

Add 30% of the flour and mix till all the flour has been dissolved.

Then add the yeast and the rest of the flour. Knead until all the flour has been absorbed into the dough and then tip the dough out onto the table.

Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until smooth and strong The core temperature must be between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius.

Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 2 hours.

Cut the dough into 6 parts and roll into small balls. Put the balls into a plastic box that is large enough to leave room for the dough balls without touching each other. Put on the lid and leave to rise for 24 hours at 16-18 degrees Celsius – i.e. in a cool room.

Use your fingers to stretch out the dough – on no account use a rolling pin!

Sprinkle durum flour onto the table when shaping your pizzas.

Use your fingers to press a 2-cm edge all around the pizza. Turn the pizza upside down and repeat the process 4 times.

Now the pizza should preferably be of a diameter of approximately 20-25 cm. Stretch the pizza over the entire circumference till it reaches 35-40 cm in diameter.

Put the topping of your choice onto the dough. Sprinkle a little durum flour onto your pizza peel and gently push it under the pizza. Place the pizza in the centre of your Forno Spin and switch on the rotation. Bake for 1-1½ minute.