Neapolitan Pizza Margherita

Pour the 125 g cold water into a large bowl, then add the 61 g boiling water straight off the boil. Check the temperature: between 40 °C and 46 °C suits dry yeast.

Whisk the 9 g fine sea salt and 0.8 g active dry yeast into the warm water until dissolved.

Tip in the 305 g 00 flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then work it with your hand until it gathers into a ball. In a stand mixer, add the liquid gradually to the flour on low speed.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (00 flour, for dusting) and knead with both hands for about 10 min. In a mixer, run the dough hook on low for 5 min to 10 min.

Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 h to 3 days.

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Take the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight, smooth ball by folding the edges underneath.

Set the balls in separate bowls or spaced out on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for about 5 h.

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Crush the 160 g canned whole San Marzano tomatoes by hand or with a fork into a rough, pulpy sauce and season with a little fine sea salt. Do not cook it; it cooks on the pizza.

Pizza oven: fire it up until the centre of the stone reads 450 °C to 500 °C on an infrared thermometer.

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Home oven instead: set a rack in the middle with at least 20 cm (7 ¾ in) clearance below the broiler, put a baking steel or stone on it and heat the oven to its maximum, 260 °C to 290 °C. Hold it at temperature for at least 30 min so the steel heats right through.

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Dust the counter and peel with 00 flour or semolina, for the peel. Press one dough ball into a flat disc with your fingertips, working from the centre outwards and leaving a 1 cm (⅜ in) rim untouched. Lift it and pinch gently around the edge, letting gravity stretch it to about 30 cm (11 ¾ in).

Lay the base on the peel. Spread a quarter of the sauce over it, leaving the rim bare, then scatter over 50 g fresh mozzarella (fior di latte) (a quarter) and drizzle with 2.5 g extra virgin olive oil (a quarter).

Pizza oven: slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 1 min to 2 min, turning it a quarter turn every 20 s so it colours evenly.

Home oven: slide the pizza onto the steel and bake for about 6 min (7 min on a stone), then switch to the top broiler for 2 min to 3 min more, watching closely and turning as needed. Let the steel reheat for a few minutes between pizzas.

Scatter whole ½ bunch fresh basil leaves leaves over the pizza the moment it comes out, slice and serve at once. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.