Original Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Why this formula works

This dough follows the original Neapolitan ingredient logic: flour, water, salt and yeast only—no oil, sugar or improvers. At 62% hydration it stays manageable while a very small yeast dose and long room-temperature fermentation build extensibility without a yeasty taste.

Honest timing

Ingredients

• Tipo 00 pizza flour, about 12.5–13% protein610 g (21.5 oz)
• cool water, 18–20°C / 64–68°F380 g (13.4 oz)
• fine sea salt17 g (0.6 oz)
• fresh baker's yeast (or 0.17 g instant yeast)0.5 g

Equipment

• digital scale accurate to 1 g
• 0.01 g pocket scale or yeast-dilution method
• covered dough box
• bench scraper
• pizza oven capable of 430–480°C / 806–896°F

Exact method

1. 1. With a precision scale, weigh 380 g water and 0.5 g fresh yeast. Without one, make a master solution from 5 g yeast and 95 g water; use exactly 10 g of it and add 370 g fresh water. That portion supplies 0.5 g yeast and 9.5 g water, putting the total water only 0.5 g below target—well inside a normal 1 g scale's tolerance.
2. 2. Dissolve the salt completely in the prepared liquid and mix without delay. Keep back about 30 g of the flour; this helps control the final texture without changing the formula.
3. 3. Add roughly 10% of the flour and stir to a thin batter. Add the remaining flour gradually while mixing, so no dry pockets remain.
4. 4. Turn the rough dough onto the bench and knead for 12–15 minutes. Stop when it is smooth, elastic and 23–25°C / 73–77°F; do not keep kneading merely to chase a perfect windowpane.
5. 5. Cover and rest the dough as one mass for 2 hours at 20–22°C / 68–72°F. It should relax and show the first small gas bubbles, not double.
6. 6. Divide into four 250 g pieces. Tighten each piece into a smooth ball without tearing the surface, then place seam-side down in a covered dough box.
7. 7. Proof for another 18 hours at 20–22°C / 68–72°F. The balls are ready when expanded, soft and aerated, yet still hold their shape. At 24°C / 75°F, shorten the final proof to roughly 8–12 hours.
8. 8. Flour the bench lightly, release one ball with a scraper and press from the center outward, leaving a 1–2 cm rim untouched. Stretch to 28–30 cm; never use a rolling pin.
9. 9. Top sparingly and bake in a fully heated pizza oven at 430–480°C / 806–896°F for 60–90 seconds, turning every 20–30 seconds. A home oven needs a separate home-oven dough and timing; it cannot reproduce this bake simply by extending the time.