This Ooni pizza dough formula boasts an exceptional chewy texture and flavor! Utilize it when preparing with any outdoor pizza oven.
Have a pizza oven and eager to use it? Experiment with my Ooni pizza dough formula, which is compatible with any style of outdoor pizza oven! This dough creates the ultimate pliable crust that’s perfect for cooking at high temperatures.
Alex and I are authors of cookbooks and specialists in homemade pizza who have dedicated the last ten years to refining the art of pizza making at home. This is our proven pizza oven dough formula—it emerges light and chewy on the inside while charred on the outside, with the ideal hydration ratio for high-heat cooking!
What defines the best Ooni pizza dough?
In my view, the finest pizza you can create at home is one made in an outdoor pizza oven! There are numerous outstanding pizza ovens available these days. Alex and I have owned and gained significant experience with both the Ooni pizza oven and the ROCCBOX. This recipe is optimized for both pizza ovens. Here’s what we’ve learned from our exploration of the best Ooni pizza dough formula:
– Use a dough with 62% hydration for high temperatures. This may get a bit technical, but this recipe features slightly lower hydration compared to our classic pizza dough recipe. Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in a dough. A lower hydration dough performs better under the high temperatures of a pizza oven while being somewhat easier to handle (less sticky).
– If possible, opt for Tipo 00 flour. Tipo 00 flour is the Italian flour favored by Neapolitan pizza establishments. It yields a supple and airy dough that surpasses all-purpose flour. Tipo 00 is becoming increasingly accessible at your local grocery store or online. You can substitute all-purpose flour if that’s what you have, but it’s worthwhile to seek out the quality option.
Guidelines for preparing Ooni pizza dough
This Ooni pizza dough formula is simple, yet it requires some practice. Here’s what to anticipate during the dough preparation:
– Weigh ingredients with a food scale. Measuring by weight with a food scale offers greater precision compared to measuring with cups, accounting for environmental variations.
– Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer. A stand mixer allows for a hands-off approach, but you can certainly get your hands involved as well. In both methods, it only takes 8 minutes.
– Let the dough rest for 45 minutes. This phase, also referred to as “proofing,” allows the dough to rise, resulting in the ideal fluffy texture.
– Alternatively, prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. The flavor actually improves with time! For optimal results, refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 days, which adds a subtle, nutty flavor.
How to stretch the dough
Stretching the dough represents the most challenging aspect of the Ooni pizza dough process—other than cooking it, of course! You’ll need to stretch it into an 11-inch circle. For optimal outcomes, view our video on How to Stretch Pizza Dough. Follow these guidelines:
– Sprinkle the pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. This facilitates the dough sliding easily onto the stone. We favor semolina flour.
– First, shape the dough into a circle. Place it on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle, flipping it multiple times and adding a bit of flour if it becomes too sticky.
– Carefully stretch the dough over your knuckles. Once you achieve an approximate 8-inch circle, lift the dough and delicately drape it over the knuckles of both hands. Slowly rotate it, letting gravity help stretch it into a circle of about 11 inches in diameter. If the dough begins to resist stretching, set it down and let it rest for a few minutes; then it will stretch more readily.
Essential pizza peel tips
Alex has been crafting Ooni pizza dough for years and has a slightly different approach for using the pizza peel. He discovered that cornmeal or semolina on the bottom can tend to burn slightly in a pizza oven.
Thus, he constructs and tops the pizza dough first on this conveyor Super Pizza Peel (to avoid using semolina). Afterward, he utilizes the conveyor to transfer the dough onto the stainless steel pizza peel that comes with the oven. It’s a slight workaround, but it’s our best practice! You can still achieve good results using cornmeal and semolina.
Another suggestion: We employ this ROCCBOX turning peel to rotate the pizza while it bakes in the oven, which is very beneficial. You can also use the nonstick peel for transfer (which is included with the oven).
My preferred pizza ovens
Alex and I have developed a bit of an obsession with pizza ovens. We’ve had an Ooni pizza oven for several years and recently added a Gozney ROCCBOX to our collection. Here’s my perspective on the top pizza