Homemade Pizza with Tomato Slices and Black Olives

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Dough base

1. 1
   In a bowl, mix the flour, the yeast and the salt, add the water and the olive oil and Knead 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
2. 2
   Cover and leave about 1 hour at room temperature, then move to the fridge for 24 hours.

   Refrigerator

   💡In a long cold rise the yeast works slowly: the dough develops deep flavor and stretch, and the edges puff into large bubbles. That is why a little yeast is enough.
3. 3
   Two hours before baking, divide into balls, cover and leave at room temperature until soft and puffy.

For the Tomato sauce

1. 4
   In a bowl, mix the tomato paste and oregano. Don't cook it: the sauce cooks on the pizza in the oven.

   Bowl

To assemble

1. 5
   Preheat the oven to 240–250°C (465–480°F), with a baking stone inside.

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡A home oven doesn't reach the heat of a professional pizza oven, but you can get close: preheat the oven to its maximum temperature (250°C (480°F)+) with a pizza stone or an upside-down baking sheet inside for at least 45 minutes before baking.

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 6
   Roll out the dough (or stretch it by hand) into a thin round on a floured surface and transfer to parchment paper.

   ⚙ Rolling Out DoughRolling pinParchment paper

   💡Pizza dough that doesn't shrink: when the dough shrinks back as you roll it, let it rest covered for 5 minutes. The gluten needs to 'relax'. After that it will roll out easily.

   💡For crisp homemade pizza dough: after rising, don't roll it out with a rolling pin but stretch it gently by hand. Stretching by hand keeps the air bubbles formed during rising and creates an authentic bubbly crust.

   💡Let the pizza dough rise for 24 hours in the fridge (a long cold rise) — the dough develops a deeper flavor and an airy texture with big bubbles.

   💡3 cups of flour (about 400 g) make 2–3 thin pizzas: divide the dough into balls before rolling, rather than stretching it all into one thick pizza.

   💡Roll from the center outward and give the dough a quarter turn between rolls: this keeps it even in thickness and stops it sticking to the counter. If it springs back, cover for 10–15 minutes and try again.
3. 7
   Spread a thin layer of sauce, leaving a 1 cm border.

   💡Preheat the oven to its maximum with a baking stone or an upside-down baking sheet. Pizza dough should be at room temperature. Spread a thin layer of sauce - too much sauce will make the dough soggy.
4. 8
   Scatter the yellow cheese, tomato slices and olives over the top.
5. 9
   Slide the pizza on its paper onto the hot stone and bake 7–9 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cheese bubbles.

   OvenBaking stone (pizza stone)Parchment paper