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Here's how to make a legit Neapolitan-style pizza base with those crunchy, airy bubbles folks go wild for. You'll let the dough chill overnight so the flavor gets deep, using just four simple pantry staples. My crew got hooked on homemade pizza nights—it's pretty much our go-to weekend thing.
Essential Ingredients
- Type 00 flour: This flour's crazy fine, so it bakes up soft but still chewy. Hunt for a bag meant for pizza to get that proper Neapolitan bite.
- Cool water (73°F): Slightly cool water slows everything down to boost flavor. Skip anything warm or hot so your dough doesn't rise too quick.
- Kosher salt: Bumps up how the dough tastes and helps it hold shape. If possible, pick one with chunky clear grains (like Diamond Crystal) to keep it even.
- Instant yeast: Just a tiny bit gets things going—the long wait time is what works the magic. Freshest stuff works best for a nice rise.
Step-by-Step Magic
- Top and Bake:
- Sprinkle some flour on your pizza peel, add toppings you like, then bake in a screaming hot pizza oven for just about a minute and a half. Give it a spin every 20 seconds. If you're using the oven at home, heat it way up, slide your pizza on a stone, cook for 6–8 minutes, and crank the broiler at the end for some char.
- Shape the Pizza:
- Grab a dough ball, dust it and your hands with flour, and gently press the middle outward. Keep the puffy edges—don't squish them flat. Keep stretching and spinning till you get a thin, round base, like 12 inches or so.
- Prepare for Baking:
- Set your dough out from the fridge a couple hours before baking so it relaxes and shapes easier.
- Cold Fermentation:
- Cover up the dough balls, stash them in the fridge two hours minimum or even five days. Cold helps build mad flavor and a sweet chewy bite.
- Divide and Shape:
- Wake up, dust your surface with flour, split the dough into four hunks. Take each one, pull the sides to the center, pinch them together, roll it into a ball with the seam under, and pop each into an oiled container.
- Fold Again and Slow Rise:
- Do one more round of folding, then flip the dough so the seam faces down. Cover and let it hang out on your counter for 12 hours. It’ll turn stretchy and full of flavor overnight.
- Strengthen the Dough:
- After the dough chills out, get your hands damp, tug it up and fold it over itself 4 to 6 times going around. This makes it strong and stretchy. Rest it again for half an hour and keep it covered.
- Mix the Dough:
- Toss the flour, water, salt, and yeast into a big bowl. Stir things with a spoon first, then switch to wet hands and pinch the dough until it’s rough but all combined. Cover and give it thirty minutes to soak up water.
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I always reach for King Arthur 00 flour. It works every time and that overnight dough magic honestly feels cool to see. My kids say it's the best science experiment ever.
Storing Your Dough
Just keep dough balls in oiled containers in the fridge for up to five days. Bring them to room temp a couple hours before baking so they're easy to handle. For freezing, wrap tight in plastic right after shaping and thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Swapping Ingredients
If you can't find Type 00, go with bread flour—it'll be chewy, but still solid. Use a little less regular table salt if that's all you have. With active dry yeast, dissolve it in the water up front before mixing in.
How to Serve
Classic? Go Margherita—tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil. But this dough's awesome with anything. Try a splash of olive oil, some fresh arugula, or parmesan shavings once it's out of the oven for that pizza place vibe.
About the Tradition
Neapolitan pizza started in Naples over two centuries ago and the baking technique is an old-school Italian tradition recognized by UNESCO. Letting your dough rest and then baking it super hot brings out that awesome airy, blackened edge. When you make it, you’re joining in on real pizza history.
Common Recipe Questions
- → What's great about Type 00 flour for this dough?
You'll get a super elastic dough thanks to its high protein. That's what lets you stretch it easily and get chewy crusts—the signature move for Neapolitan pizza.
- → Can I sub in active dry yeast if I don't have instant?
Sure—just wake up the yeast in water before using, so it gets going. Timing will change a bit, since active dry is slower than instant.
- → Do I really have to let the dough rise overnight?
Yep, that slow proof is what makes all the flavor and the airy texture happen. Your dough chills out and becomes way easier to stretch, too.
- → How do I gently stretch the dough the right way?
Start in the center, push the dough outward, and avoid squishing the edges. Finish by carefully pulling with your knuckles so it's flat with those puffy rims.
- → How much heat does my oven need?
Crank it as high as it can go for those charred spots. Outdoor pizza oven? Awesome—go for 800°F or more. Indoor stone? Use max heat.
- → Is it fine to freeze dough before baking?
Absolutely! Shellac each ball in plastic, freeze before the last proof, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Let it warm up on the counter before stretching and tossing in the oven.