Classic White Pizza Dough

steps

1. In bowl of an electric mixer, stir together flour, salt, and yeast. Add 14¼ ounces water and use paddle attachment to mix on slow speed for 30 seconds until a coarse, shaggy dough forms. Add oil, if using. Increase speed to medium and mix for an additional 30 to 60 seconds to make a wet, coarse, sticky dough. Let dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate. Switch mixer attachment to dough hook. Increase mixer to medium-high speed and mix for an additional 2 to 4 minutes to make a smooth dough, adding more flour or water if needed. Dough should be soft and supple, very tacky but not sticky to the touch, and offer a little resis – tance when pressed with a wet finger.
2. Use 1 teaspoon oil to make a 15-inch diameter oil slick on a work surface. Rub oil on a plastic bowl scraper and on your hands, then use scraper to transfer dough to oil slick. Stretch and fold dough. Invert mixing bowl and use it to cover dough. Let it rest for 2 to 5 minutes.
3. Repeat stretch and fold, rubbing additional oil on work surface as need – ed. Cover dough again, let it rest for 2 to 5 minutes, and repeat stretch and fold. Cover with bowl and again let it rest for 2 to 5 minutes. Perform one final stretch and fold to make a smooth ball of dough. Dough will have firmed up after each stretch and fold and should now be smooth, supple, and tacky to the touch, but not sticky.
4. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl or container, roll it around to coat with oil, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for anywhere from 12 to 72 hours before baking.