Why this formula works
Original Neapolitan dough is already vegan. This page therefore earns its place by doing a different job: oil and a small sugar dose improve browning and tenderness in a 250–300°C / 482–572°F home oven, while 48 hours cold fermentation build flavor. It must not be labelled an original Neapolitan formula.
Honest timing
| Active preparation | 30 min |
| Hydration / proof / preheat | 51 h 20 min |
| Cooking / baking | 8 min |
| Elapsed total | 51 h 58 min |
Ingredients
- strong bread flour, about 12.5–13.5% protein600 g (21.2 oz)
- cool water, 18–20°C / 64–68°F390 g (13.8 oz)
- fine sea salt16 g (0.56 oz)
- instant yeast1.2 g
- extra virgin olive oil15 g (0.53 oz)
- fine sugar8 g (0.28 oz)
Equipment
- digital scale with 0.1 g resolution
- covered 2 litre container
- four covered dough cups
- bench scraper
- pizza steel or stone
Exact method
- 1. Mix flour with 370 g of the water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 20 minutes; this hydration rest reduces later kneading.
- 2. Dissolve instant yeast and sugar in the remaining 20 g water. Add this mixture and the salt to the dough; squeeze and fold until evenly distributed.
- 3. Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand or 6–8 minutes on low mixer speed. Add olive oil in two additions during the final 2 minutes, waiting until the first addition is absorbed.
- 4. Stop when the dough is smooth, elastic and 23–25°C / 73–77°F. Cover and rest at room temperature for 60 minutes; perform one fold after 30 minutes.
- 5. Refrigerate the covered bulk dough for 48 hours at about 4°C / 39°F. Mark the starting level; it should expand gradually, not burst from the container.
- 6. Divide into four equal pieces of about 257 g before handling loss, then shape tight smooth balls. Put them in covered cups and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.
- 7. The balls are ready when soft and extensible but still domed. If they remain tight, add 30–60 minutes; if they flatten early, open and bake immediately.
- 8. Preheat a steel or stone at maximum home-oven heat for at least 45 minutes. Open one ball to 28–30 cm, top with controlled moisture and launch immediately.
- 9. Bake at 250–300°C / 482–572°F for about 5–8 minutes. Use the broiler for the final 1–2 minutes only if the underside is already browned.
How to know it is ready
- Dough ball stretches without tearing or snapping violently back.
- Home-oven crust browns before it dries hard.
- The underside is set and crisp enough to support the chosen topping.
Troubleshooting
- Dense dough: check yeast freshness and refrigerator temperature.
- Overproofed flat balls: shorten the warm final proof next time.
- Pale crust: preheat longer and keep the small sugar and oil additions.
- Tough crust: reduce bake time before increasing water.
How to adapt the base recipe
- For a 24-hour schedule, use 1.6 g instant yeast and refrigerate for 24 hours; keep all other quantities.
- For the original four-ingredient Neapolitan style, use the dedicated original recipe instead.
- For a heavily sauced tray pizza, use a dedicated pan dough rather than overloading this thin-pizza formula.
Storage and food safety
After 48 hours, use within the next 24 hours for predictable strength. Dough balls may be frozen after 24 hours of cold fermentation, thawed overnight in the refrigerator and proofed at room temperature.
Allergens
Gluten (wheat)
Always verify every label and cross-contact risk; brand formulations can change.