We build puff by not stretching much, letting the dough ferment 12–24 hours, and baking hot on a Baking Steel. It won’t be lab-precision but it will be really, really good.

Caution: this recipe isn’t designed to double or triple. Keep the measures as written and make those 2 cups of flour a little “big.”

Why This Makes Pizza Puffy

• Minimal stretch: preserves gas so the rim inflates in the oven.
• Slow ferment (12–24h): flavor + extensibility without aggressive handling.
• High heat on steel: rapid oven spring for tall, airy bubbles.

Recipe: Puffy Pizza (Cups & Teaspoons)

Yield: 2 small pizzas  |  Ferment: 12–24 hours  |  Bake: 500°F + broil on Baking Steel

Ingredients

• 2 big cups organic bread or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• Quick drizzle olive oil

Method

1. Mix: In a bowl, whisk flour + salt. Whisk in yeast. Add all the water and mix with a spatula until hydrated, then knead by hand until it comes together. Clean the bowl.
2. Oil & rest: Return dough to bowl, drizzle with olive oil and knead 2 minutes to coat. Cover and rest 12–24 hours.
3. Divide & ball: Split into 2 portions. Flour hands, fold and turn to create a smooth, tense surface. Pinch seam closed. Rest balls 3-4 hours at room temp, covered.
4. Preheat: With 1 hour left, heat oven to 500°F with your Baking Steel on the top rack (convection if available).
5. Shape minimal: Keep handling light don’t stretch much. You’re preserving gas for puff.
6. Bake: Build on a floured/semolina peel. Switch to broil; when the broiler fires, launch onto the hot steel. Bake ~2 minutes, rotate, switch back to 500°F convection, and bake ~2 minutes more or until tall, blistered, and golden.
7. Finish: Cool briefly, slice, and let the bubbles speak for themselves.

Pro Tips for Maximum Puff

• Warm room = faster ferment; cool room = slower. Use the full 24 hours if it’s chilly.
• Resisting stretch? Set the dough down for 60–90 seconds and let gluten relax.
• Go light on toppings so bubbles don’t collapse.
• Stretch it out, just not too thin.  We want this dough to spring when it hits that hot Steel...