Neopolitan Pizza Dough

Three pizza dough balls dusted with flour on baking sheet.

5 from 1 vote

A traditional Neapolitan pizza dough that transforms just four simple ingredients into an ethereal crust with perfect chew and characteristic leopard-spot charring - all achievable in your home kitchen. Make fewer or more using our Neapolitan pizza dough calculator.

Prep Time45

Resting Time5

Total Time5 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: pizzas (12-inch)

Calories: 615kcal

Author: Marie

Equipment

large mixing bowl
kitchen scale highly recommended but optional

Ingredients

For the Dough

500 grams water (23-25°C/73-77°F) (500 grams of water = ~2 cups plus ~2.5 to 3 tablespoons)
845 grams 00 pizza flour (Caputo highly recommended)
25 grams salt
0.5 gram instant dry yeast

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make the Dough

Begin by dissolving salt in the water in a large bowl. Then, add about 10% of your flour to prevent direct salt-yeast contact. Add the instant dry yeast to this slurry and mix immediately to dissolve.
Add the remaining flour and mix until just combined with no dry flour visible. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes.
After resting, develop the dough fully - by hand. This takes 8-12 minutes of kneading or, in a stand mixer, 5-7 minutes at medium-low speed. Aim for a smooth, cohesive dough. Target dough temperature should be 24-25°C (75-77°F).
Cover the dough with a slightly damp towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature (72-75°F) for 1-2 hours, then divide into individual balls (~270 grams each). When dividing, be gentle to preserve the developed gluten structure. If freezing the dough, skip to the Freezing the Dough section below.

Same Day Pizza or Hybrid Method

After dividing, leave dough balls at room temperature for 4-6 hours before use. Warmer rooms (above 75°F) will require less time, and cooler rooms require more time.
The dough balls are ready when soft and pillowy, nearly doubled in size, and spring back slowly when poked. These timing guidelines may need adjustment based on your kitchen temperature (less time if the kitchen is hot and more time for cooler kitchens).

For Next Day Pizza

After dividing, cold ferment in the fridge (38-40°F) for 24-72 hours, then warm up for 2-3 hours before use. Place dough balls on a lightly floured tray with adequate spacing and cover well to prevent drying.

To Bake

Home Oven: Heat a large cast-iron skillet on high for 10 minutes (the water should instantly sizzle) and preheat your oven broiler simultaneously (position an oven rack within 6 to 8 inches of your broiler). Carefully add the dough to the skillet, followed by toppings, and cook on the stovetop for 60-90 seconds until the bottom chars (use a spatula or fork to check the bottom). Then, using heat-safe gloves or several thick towels, transfer the skillet to the broiler for 45-60 seconds until the top of the pizza is spotted and bubbly. This creates a remarkably authentic Neapolitan-style crust.
Ooni Volt Pizza Oven: Bake as directed in your pizza oven. If you don't have a pizza oven, try this skillet method:

To Freeze the Dough

Freeze pizza dough either right after mixing or after the first rise. If freezing after mixing, the dough will undergo fermentation when thawed for maximum rise, while freezing post-rise dough saves time but may have less rise and browning since it undergoes more fermentations.
Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag, remove all air, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before using.

Notes

🥗 Need side salad ideas? Try the Salad Generator!

Use our Neapolitan Pizza Dough Calculator to make more or less dough and change the size of your pizzas.

Final Baker's Percentages: Flour: 100%; Water: 59.2%; Salt: 3%; IDY: 0.06%

May use sourdough starter 5% to 20% in place of commercial yeast (will require changes to fermentation times)

Salt measurements:
*1g = slightly less than 1/4 tsp
*1.5g = 1/4 tsp
*3g = 1/2 tsp
*6g = 1 tsp

Instant dry yeast measurements:
*0.4g = 1/8 tsp
*0.8g = 1/4 tsp
*1.6g = 1/2 tsp
*3.2g = 1 tsp

Note: These are approximations since volume measurements are less precise than weight. When measuring small amounts like yeast, it's better to use weight measurements for accuracy.

Nutrition