• Pour the water into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

  Pour the salt into the water and whisk (or stir) until the salt is dissolved.

  Add about 1/2 cup of flour into the water.
  
• Start your stand mixer using the hook attachment on its slowest setting.
• Add the yeast to the water.
  
• Slowly add more flour. Not all flour hydrates the same, so it may be that you'll need a little less or a little more flour.
• If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this all by hand.

  Dissolve the salt in the water.

  Make a "volcano" of all of the flour and pour the salt water into the middle. Slowly move and mix the "volcano" walls into the water.

  Add the yeast into the paste of flour and water before kneading.
  

Checking the Dough

• The dough will form into a single compact ball.

  · When this happens, stop the mixer and check the texture.

  · Dust your hands with flour and pull the dough off of the hook.

  · Knead the dough in your hands.

  · The texture and moistness should be consistent throughout. If it is not, return it to the mixer and check again.

  · The dough should be slightly tacky and smooth but should not be leaving much sticking to your hands. If it is, return it to the mixer and continue adding flour - slowly.

  · The final dough ball should be "fat" in appearance and sticky, soft, elastic. It might not be perfectly smooth to the touch yet.

First Fermentation

• Place the dough on a clean surface and cover with a damp cloth for one hour. The damp cloth is important to keep the outer surface from drying out.
  

Second Fermentation

• Remove the damp cloth and separate the dough into two balls of equal size (this recipe will make two dough balls approximately 9 ounces - which should make about a 11" to 12" pizza).
• Work the two halves into balls (the traditional technique is to shape them the same way Italians prepare fresh mozzarella balls).
• Place the two balls into one or two sealed containers - the dough balls will double in size, so make sure they have enough room.
  
• Let the dough rest for 24 hours at room temperature.

Stretching the Dough

• After the second fermentation, the dough will have become extensible (meaning you can stretch it) but not very elastic.
• Put 1 tablespoon of flour on your work surface
• Remove one dough ball from its container onto the floured work surface.
  
• Stretch the dough by hand from the center to the edge. Create a round shape but ensure that the edge of the crust is about 0.5" tall and 0.5" to 1" wide and the rest of the crust is very thin (less than two pennies, if you can).

  (If needed, add more flour to the work surface so the pizza does not stick, but do not use more than you need)
  
• With this recipe (which makes two 9 ounce pizza dough balls), you should be able to make up to a 12" pizza.
• Put 1 tablespoon of flour on your pizza peel and rub it into the wood (so the dough will not stick when launched into the oven).
  
• Transfer your dough to the pizza peel.
  
• You will want to quickly apply your toppings and get the pizza into the oven before the dough sticks to the peel. Start with the sauce.
• Fresh sliced mozzarella is always the best on a Neapolitan pizza, but you can use shredded. A bit of grated parmesan is also a nice addition!
• We also had some lovely pancetta left over from a previous pizza, so we used the last of it up here!
• Launch the pizza into the oven on the hottest part of the stone without being in the flames.
  
• Rotate the pizza one quarter turn every 30 seconds. Generally, the pizza will be done in 3 minutes or less. So watch it closely!
  
• Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for about 3 minutes.
  
• Cut and serve immediately.