My 72-Hour Dough

What to do

The method

1. 01

   Mix the dry ingredients.

   Combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. There is no separate yeast-proofing step.

2. 02

   Add the water all at once.

   Mix everything together by hand. It will look wet, shaggy, and thoroughly unpromising. That is normal.

3. 03

   Work it briefly.

   With wet or lightly oiled hands, work the dough for several minutes—just long enough to remove dry clumps and bring it loosely together. It does not need to become a smooth ball.

4. 04

   Give it the first day.

   Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it loosely, and leave it at room temperature for about 24 hours. It should more than double and smell like a bakery.

5. 05

   Divide and refrigerate.

   Divide the dough into seven portions and place them in lightly oiled covered containers. Refrigerate for at least another 48 hours. Roughly days three through five are the useful window.

6. 06

   Or freeze it for later.

   Freeze individual portions. Thaw one overnight in the refrigerator, then give it four to five hours on the counter before using it.

7. 07

   For pizza, heat the stone well.

   Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat thoroughly to 450–475°F. Stretch one portion gently, top it, and bake it directly on the stone until the bottom is crisp and the edges are well browned. I still need to record a dependable bake time.

8. 08

   For a small Dutch-oven loaf.

   One portion made a loaf that was just right for two people. From memory: preheat the oven and empty Dutch oven to about 450°F for at least 30 minutes, bake the shaped dough about 40 minutes covered, then 15–20 minutes uncovered. I have not retested those times, so watch the loaf rather than trusting the clock blindly.