The evening before

1. Measure the flour and salt into a bowl and mix together.
2. Add the sourdough starter (which should be active and at its peak), water and oil to the dry ingredients and mix with your hands. Work the dough well, getting it as smooth as possible and letting the heat of your hands penetrate it.
3. When the dough is well worked, spread a little olive oil onto the sides and bottom of the bowl and place your dough back into it. Cover it well (with a tight plate or clingfilm) and leave it out on your kitchen counter (ideally at 22-27C (72-80F)) for an hour or two before transferring to the fridge overnight.

Pizza Day: Early Morning

1. Remove the bowl and dough to your kitchen counter (ideally at 22-27C (72-80F)) as early as you can.
2. Set a timer for 60 minutes.
3. Every 60 minutes take the dough from the bowl and stretch and fold it 2/4 times until you feel the gluten network tightening and it resists you.

Pizza Day: Later Morning

1. Place your pizza stone in the oven (I put mine very close to the bottom) and preheat it and the oven to 300C (570F) for an hour.
2. Prepare your choice of toppings. Get them completely ready and in easily accessible bowls. When you top the pizza, it needs to be quick!
3. Sprinkle a chunky flour on the surface you intend for shaping the pizza and on your pizza pala.
4. Take the dough from your bowl. It should be pliable and airy. Place it on your floured surface and flatten it with the heal of your hand. Then shape the dough into a c.30cm circle. Do this using a mix of fingertips gently pushing the dough outwards from the centre and lifting the edges of the dough up and gently pulling them outwards.
5. Lift the circle of dough and place it onto the floured Pizza pala.
6. Working quickly, top the dough whilst also regularly shaking the pala slightly, to avoid the dough sticking to it. (It really helps to have two pairs of hands at this point.)
7. When topped, get the pizza into the oven by shunting it from the pala onto the preheated stone.
8. Carefully watch the pizza to gauge when it is done. It will take around 8 minutes.
9. Once done lift the pizza out and place on a cutting surface. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs.