While breadmaking is a fine art, it can be surprisingly simple to create a masterpiece. In his new book, My Pizza, renowned baker Jim Lahey reveals a method for making delicious homemade pizza dough that you don’t have to knead. He demonstrated the method at this year’s MH Cooking School at the International Culinary Center, where he treated us to the “Popeye pie” and the “Boscaiola pie.”

His technique does require a bit of planning, because the dough does require 18 hours of rising time. But it's worth it. Don’t believe me? I conducted a little experiment just to make sure.  In addition to whipping up Lahey's dough recipe, I bought pre-made pizza dough at the grocery store, topped it with the same toppings and baked it using the same method as I did with Lahey’s crust. The results? Lahey’s crust was more flavorful and had a better texture. Plus, he’s perfected the cooking technique, so home cooks can achieve a deliciously charred crust that rivals what chefs can create with brick ovens.

Ham and Peas Pie
Recipe courtesy Jim Lahey, founder of Sullivan Street Bakery and Co.

What you'll need:

For the crust:

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit of additional flour for shaping the dough
¼ tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 ½ cups water

For the sauce:

2 cups of whole milk
1 stick of unsalted butter
2 ¼ Tbsp of all-purpose flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg

For the toppings:

¼ finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
1 ½ ounces of fresh mozzarella, pulled into 5 clumps
2 ounces of sliced prosciutto, ripped into shreds
a scant ¼ cup fresh peas or defrosted frozen peas, patted dry
2 to 3 large fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

How to make it:

 

Via: Make The Most Delicious Homemade Pizza Ever