To make the dough – Start 24 hours before you want to make pizza. (44 if you want to do a second slow prove of the dough balls – see below).

Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl, until combined. 

Leave for 30 minutes covered with a tea towel, then knead for about 10 minutes. Place into a large container with a lid or cover with a clean used bag and put in the fridge for about 18-20 hours.

Two to three hours before making pizza, divide or ‘scale’ the dough into five 230g balls. Tension by rounding the balls off nicely. Place the balls on a tray and cover with oiled plastic or a lid and either return to the fridge for another 20 hours or allow to rest for two to three hours until doubled in size.

To make the pizza – If using a conventional oven, preheat the oven to its hottest setting 250-300C without fan. Or set your pizza oven to 400C. 

Prepare all of your toppings in bowls ready to go. 

Shaping

When you are ready to make pizza, take a ball of dough and place it into a bowl of buckwheat flour or other flour if using. Dust on both sides and transfer to the table or baking tray if you don’t have a pizza peel. 

Working quickly, press your fingers into the dough two centimetres from the edge, leaving a space for the crust to form. 

Next press the air out of the middle, with flattened fingers and the palms of your hands, stretching the dough in a circular motion until it is about 8-10 inches wide. All the while, leaving the crust untouched. You can lift and gently stretch the dough on your knuckles too, keeping an eye not to make the dough too thin. 

If you have a tear, mend it and be careful not to stretch the dough again. 

Next make sure there is plenty of flour underneath your dough and there is room in the oven before adding your toppings. If you are using tomato sauce, spread onto the dough, then decorate sparingly with your favourite ingredients. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and season with a pinch of salt.

Cooking

If using, transfer to a lightly floured peel in a quick sliding motion, then stretch and reshape into a round 10-12” pizza. Don’t stretch or reshape here if you had a tear before. Quickly place into the hot oven. Halfway through, turn the pizza. 

It should take about 90 seconds in a pizza oven at 350-400C or 6-10 minutes in a fan oven at 250-300C. Enjoy hot straight from the oven.