Ultimate Neapolitan Pizza Dough: Authentic Italian Flavor at Home

Master the art of creating a thin, crispy crust with a soft, cloud-like interior – the hallmark of perfect Neapolitan pizza dough.

Unlock the secrets of authentic Neapolitan pizza right in your own kitchen. This classic dough recipe uses just four simple ingredients, but don’t let that fool you – the magic lies in the long fermentation process. As the dough slowly develops, it transforms into a flavorful base that’s easy to stretch and delivers that coveted char and dramatic rise in a hot oven. Get ready to elevate your homemade pizza game!

Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients

• 20 ounces (about 4 cups) Italian-style ’00’ bread flour
• .4 ounces kosher salt (about 4 teaspoons)
• .3 ounces (about 2 teaspoons) instant yeast, such as SAF Instant Yeast
• 13 ounces water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast until evenly mixed. Pour in the water and use your hands to incorporate it into the flour mixture. Keep mixing until no dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. This long fermentation is key to developing complex flavors and the perfect texture.
2. After the initial rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into four equal portions and shape each into a ball. Place each dough ball in a covered quart-sized deli container or a zipper-lock freezer bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 days, but up to 4 days for even better flavor development. When you’re ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator, reshape into balls if needed, and let them rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before stretching and baking.