Wholemeal Flour Pizza Dough

Put the wholemeal flour in the stand mixer bowl, add the dried active yeast and leave it to oxygenate for 5 minutes, then add half the water and start to mix the dough; after 5 minutes slowly drizzle in the rest of the water, and after another 5 minutes add the salt, then continue to mix for about 20 minutes in total at the lowest speed, then let the dough rest in the mixer bowl for about 15 minutes. Then mix again briefly and remove the dough, place it on a work surface and cover with a damp cloth to rest for another 20 minutes.

Uncover the dough and portion into small round loaves of about 28-32 cm in diameter – each loaf should weigh about 250/260 grams. You should have about 5-6 loaves, each of which will make one pizza.  Put the loaves in a large plastic container, close the lid and leave to rise for 6-8 hours.

When the loaves have doubled in volume, they are ready to be stretched. You must never use a rolling pin but just stretch with your hands moving from the centre to the crust distributing the air towards the pizza crust so that the crust is airy and even.

Then the pizza base is ready for the topping of your choice.