In a small bowl, add 1/2 tsp. of yeast and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Set aside.
In a very large bowl or 12-quart round tub, add the flour (7¾c.) and slowly add 3-4 cups of warm water in, just until the mixture comes together.
Mix by hand just until incorporated. Cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes on your counter. Sprinkle the salt over the top of the dough. Then pour the yeast mixture over the dough. Use a small piece of the mixture to wipe the remaining yeast goop from its container, then throw it back in the tub.
Bring the bowl next to the sink and turn on a slow trickle of warm water. Mix the dough by hand, wetting your working hand before mixing so the dough doesn’t stick to you. (It’s fine to rewet your hand three or four times while you mix.) Mix well until incorporated.
Reach underneath the dough and grab about one-quarter of it. Gently stretch this section of dough and fold it over the top of the other side of the dough. Repeat three more times with the remaining dough, until the salt and yeast are fully enclosed.
Fold the dough repeatedly, rotating and folding, working through the entire mass of dough. Do this for 5 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, fold the dough again, by grabbing the edges and stretching them up and into the center. Fold about 4 times. Then lightly coat the dough and the bottom of the tub with olive oil to help prevent sticking. Let it rest, covered at room temperature, for 5-6 hours, or until doubled. When the dough is about double its original volume, it’s ready to be divided. Divide. Moderately flour a work surface about 2 feet wide. With floured hands, gently ease the dough out of the tub. With your hands still floured, pick up the dough and ease it back down onto the work surface in a somewhat even shape. Dust the entire top of the dough with flour, then using a large knife or bench scraper, cut it into 6 equal-size pieces.
Shape each piece of the dough into balls. You will end up with 6 balls. Gently fold it into a ball, then very carefully roll it along the counter to seal the bottom. Be careful not to knead it - you don't want to deflate the dough. Gently form the 6 balls.
After each ball is formed, place it into a piece of plastic wrap that is sprayed with cooking spray or lightly oiled, to prevent from sticking.Seal each dough ball in the plastic wrap (be gentle with the dough as you do it). Place all 6 balls of wrapped dough onto a large baking sheet and place in the fridge. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to make the dough easier to shape.
Once the dough has refrigerated, you are now ready to prep it for the oven.To prep for the pizza put the pizza stone in the oven and heat to 550°F or the hottest your oven will go (heat it on the BAKE feature, not broil). (If it only goes to 500°F that's fine, you'll just bake it a little longer.)