Joe Heffernan is a chef and pizzaiolo who was the co-owner of Independent Pizzeria, one of Seattle’s best pizza restaurants.

Joe Heffernan

Digital instant-read thermometer

Wooden spoon

Breville Bakery Chef™ Stand Mixer

Digital scale

Bread flour

Salt

Water

Cake yeast

Olive oil

Let us discuss this dough.

I can’t find cake yeast at the store. Can I sub in dry?
Yup, use [g 1] of dry yeast instead.

I’m new to working with yeast. Does the water really need to be at such a precise temperature? 
Whenever you are activating yeast, water temperature is important. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Too cold, and the yeast may take a lot longer to activate. For this recipe, you really do want to make sure your water is within about five degrees of [f 65]. That’s the optimal temperature for yeast to thrive at the rate we want in this recipe. Variables such as time, environmental temperature, and type of flour all play into determining the ideal water temperature for yeast.

Why do you make a well in the flour before you add the yeast?
The purpose of this practice is more obvious when you’re mixing directly on a work surface, as do old-school pasta makers. But even if you have a bowl to help you minimize the mess, making a well can help reduce the risk of overmixing, and it will keep your bowl cleaner too. 

How do I know when my dough is ready to shape?
Shaping and stretching dough is an art form, and the process will be affected by the way the dough has fermented, rested, and proofed. To dial in your process, note the texture of the dough: If the dough advances too far, it will be warm and very sticky. If the dough is too young and cold, then it can be too brittle, so you’re likely to make holes when stretching it out.

Speaking of holes, what should I do if I have a few of those in my dough?
Joe recommends patching up holes with your fingers. If cheese spills through them, it will make the holes bigger when you try to move the pizza.

The timing you give here will work universally, correct?
Sorry, no. Environmental conditions, the temperature and humidity of your fridge, and variables in the ingredients themselves will all impact timing. You just need to practice getting a feel for it, and over time you’ll dial in your perfect dough.

Can I make dough in advance?
You can keep dough in the fridge for up to three days. 

What if I want to keep it for longer than that?
Freeze it, friend. Then pull a portion out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge for about eight hours before you’re ready to roll.

Before we begin

In a medium-sized bowl, mix bread flour and salt thoroughly.

Combine flour and salt

Using a thermometer, adjust sink tap until it reaches a temperature of [f 65]. Add water to a new bowl.Add cake yeast and gently stir to combine.

Combine water and yeast

Make a well in the center of the flour. 

Pour in the water and yeast.

Add yeast to flour mixture

Using a wooden spoon, mix ingredients together until you have a shaggy, rugged mass of dough.

Mix roughly

In a stand mixer equipped with the dough hook, mix dough on medium speed for about seven and a half minutes, or until the dough has formed a uniform mass and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Mix in stand mixer

Dust your work surface with flour. 

Turn dough onto the work surface and shape into a ball.

Shape dough

Ferment dough for 5–8 hours in a covered container.

NOTE: Make sure that the temperature of the room is conducive to fermentation. It should be around [f 65] in there.

Ferment

Using a scale, divide the dough into [g 230] portions. Shape each portion into a ball.

Pour a dollop of olive oil into the palm of your hand, and lightly roll each ball on the countertop to cover with oil. This helps the dough retain moisture as it rests in the next step.

Portion and shape

Transfer dough to the fridge and chill, uncovered, for 10–30 minutes.

Cover with an airtight lid and let rest overnight in the fridge.

Rest

Proof in warm room until dough is relaxed and ready to stretch, about 20 minutes.

Proof

Each pie should be about 36–40 cm (14–15 in) across. 

NOTE: Check out the video to see the proper stretching technique.

Stretch into a pie shape

Want to complete the pie? Get Joe’s tips for topping and baking your pizza to perfection.
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Joe Heffernan of Seattle’s best pizzeria, Independent, shares the secrets to making homemade pizzas that rival those of the pros.

Neo-Neapolitan Pizza

Make a pizza!

If we had our way, we’d reach right through this screen and hand you a slice of Joe Heffernan’s pizza. One gooey bite, and you’d understand our obsession: bright, salty-sweet tomato sauce, farm-fresh mozzarella, peppery basil, and a killer crust. Oh, that crust—thin and pliant, with a gratifying pull throughout and blistery bubbles at the chewy edge. No wonder Seattleites line up outside of <a href="http://www.theindiepizzeria.com">Independent</a>, the wee, wedge-shaped restaurant Joe co-owns. And now he’s here to show us how to make amazing pizza dough at home.Yup, you can create pro-level dough in the pants-optional comfort of your kitchen. Just remember, though, that Naples wasn’t built in a day. Joe will be the first to tell you that making great pizza dough requires practice and intuition. You need to get intimately familiar with your workspace, your tools, and each stage of the pizza-making process. Mastery, any kind of mastery, takes a hot minute. Prepare accordingly, then cue your favorite cooking music. ’Cause we’re ready to roll some dough.

Neo-Neapolitan Pizza Dough