Homemade Neapolitan pizza

For serious pizza eaters, I recommend my new, more detailed recipe HERE

Poolish starter:

1. Pour water into the bowl, dissolve yeast in it.
2. Add flour (240 g/8.5 oz.), mix thoroughly.
   
3. Cover with plastic wrap.
4. Leave to rise on the counter for 1 hour, then put in the fridge for about 24 hours.

Dough:

1. Remove starter from the fridge.
2. Add the remaining flour and salt to it.
3. Mix everything together, then knead until the dough stops sticking and is bouncy (5-8 minutes using a kneading machine or ~15 minutes by hand).
4. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
5. Divide the dough into 2-3 parts and make balls out of them by stretching and folding the edges of the dough underneath.
6. Place the prepared balls in a floured container, cover them tightly and let them rise for 3-4 hours.

Sauce:

1. Crush the tomatoes.
2. Add a grated garlic clove and some shredded basil leaves.
   
3. Season to taste with salt, dried oregano and a little sugar if necessary.
4. If your tomatoes contain a lot of water, I recommend cooking them over low heat until the sauce thickens.

Preparation:

1. Put in the oven a pizza stone or pizza steel (or a baking tray turned upside down) on the second rack from the top.
2. Preheat the oven for about an hour to the highest possible temperature for me it is 250°C (480°F) using the up and down settings.
3. Gently take out one ball of risen dough so that no air can escape from it and transfer it to a generously floured countertop.
4. Using your fingers, form a ball. Start from the middle and direct the air to the edges of the dough, leaving a large airy edge.
   
5. Take your time and turn the dough ball several times during forming. This is one of the most difficult steps in the whole recipe, so don't worry if the first pies aren't perfect.
6. The finished pie should have a diameter of about 30 cm (12 inch).
7. Drag the pizza onto a floured (you can also use coarse ground flour) pizza peel or a large slicing board.
8. Use a ladle to add and spread a thin layer of sauce on the pizza. Remember to leave the edges clean.
9. Grate a little parmesan on the pizza.
10. Put the pizza in the oven for about 2-3 minutes.
11. After this time take it out, add pieces of mozzarella cheese (I recommend using low moisture cheese or very good mozzarella di bufala).
12. At this stage you can add the rest of the ingredients with which you want to prepare the pizza. The possibilities are endless.
13. Brush the edges of the pizza with olive oil and put it back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts slightly and starts to brown.
14. Remove the pizza from the oven, add fresh basil leaves and wait a few minutes before serving.
15. A canotto-style Neapolitan pizza should have a thin dough and very large, puffy crust, which is soft inside and crunchy outside.