Make-Ahead Pizza Crust

A cold-fermented dough · make a batch, freeze the rest

4 · 15 min

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Mix. Whisk the flour, yeast, and salt (keep the salt off the yeast at first). Add water, oil, and honey; stir to a shaggy dough.
Knead. 5 minutes by hand until smooth and springy — no mixer needed. Or do three stretch-and-folds over an hour.
Bulk rise. Cover; let it double, 1–2 hours at room temp.
Portion & cold-ferment. Divide into 4 balls, oil them, and tuck into the fridge 1–3 days. This slow cold rise is where the real flavor lives.
Freeze the extras. Bag any balls you won't use; freeze up to 3 months.
Shape. Bring a ball to room temp (~1 hr), then stretch it by hand, never a rolling pin — you want to keep the air in the rim.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Mix. Whisk the flour, yeast, and salt (keep the salt off the yeast at first). Add water, oil, and honey; stir to a shaggy dough.

2. Knead. 5 minutes by hand until smooth and springy — no mixer needed. Or do three stretch-and-folds over an hour.

3. Bulk rise. Cover; let it double, 1–2 hours at room temp.

4. Portion & cold-ferment. Divide into 4 balls, oil them, and tuck into the fridge 1–3 days. This slow cold rise is where the real flavor lives.

5. Freeze the extras. Bag any balls you won't use; freeze up to 3 months.

6. Shape. Bring a ball to room temp (~1 hr), then stretch it by hand, never a rolling pin — you want to keep the air in the rim.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.