Long-Fermented Neapolitan Pizza Dough
Make dough like a true pizzaiolo! Recipe for professional, 24-hour Neapolitan dough. Perfect hydration and fluffy crust. Check it out!
Servings4
Preparation Time24 h
DifficultyMedium
Calories601 kcal
Make dough like a true pizzaiolo! Recipe for professional, 24-hour Neapolitan dough. Perfect hydration and fluffy crust. Check it out!
Pour all the cold water into a large bowl. Immediately add the yeast and salt, and stir. Gradually add the flour, mixing everything with a spoon or your hand until the ingredients roughly combine into a sticky mass.
Transfer the dough to a clean counter (try not to use flour for dusting). Knead vigorously for 10 minutes, stretching and folding the dough. Then cover it with an inverted bowl for a 10-minute rest. After this time, knead the dough again for another 10 minutes.
Form the dough into a large ball, place it in a bowl under a tight cover, and leave at room temperature for exactly 2 hours.
After two hours, take the dough out and divide it into 4 equal portions (approx. 270 g each). Fold each one inwards, stretching the surface so that the seam is at the bottom of the ball, creating a perfectly smooth, tight surface.
Transfer the shaped balls to a container with a lid (or separate bowls), cover tightly so the surface doesn't dry out, and leave at room temperature for another 22 hours. No fridge allowed!
Flatten the risen ball with your hands, gently stretching the dough from the center outwards on a floured counter – under no circumstances use a rolling pin! Add sauce and your favorite toppings. Place the pizza in an oven heated to maximum power (preferably on a pizza stone or steel) and bake for about 7-9 minutes.
True pizzaiolos in Italy never use a rolling pin. Mechanical rolling destroys the gas bubbles developed by the yeast during the long fermentation.
The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiolo is so unique that it was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.
True Neapolitan pizza has its own rigorous 14-page rulebook (AVPN). It dictates absolutely everything – from the allowed thickness of the crust (1-2 cm) to the precise pH of the water used!
Do you want to elevate your home baking to the level of a true Italian pizzeria? This recipe is the absolute gold standard. Developed based on the knowledge of professional pizzaiolos from Naples, it focuses on minimalism (only 4 ingredients!), the right kneading technique, and a 24-hour room temperature fermentation. There are no shortcuts in this method, but the process itself guarantees spectacular results. The dough, with 60% hydration (water content), is extremely resilient, easy to handle, and stretches wonderfully in your hands. We will use a clever kneading-and-resting system, which will help you easily develop a strong gluten network. This effort will pay off 100% when you cut your first hot, crispy slice with an insanely fluffy crust (cornicione).
True pizzaiolos in Italy never use a rolling pin. Mechanical rolling destroys the gas bubbles developed by the yeast during the long fermentation.
The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiolo is so unique that it was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.
True Neapolitan pizza has its own rigorous 14-page rulebook (AVPN). It dictates absolutely everything – from the allowed thickness of the crust (1-2 cm) to the precise pH of the water used!
Do you want to elevate your home baking to the level of a true Italian pizzeria? This recipe is the absolute gold standard. Developed based on the knowledge of professional pizzaiolos from Naples, it focuses on minimalism (only 4 ingredients!), the right kneading technique, and a 24-hour room temperature fermentation. There are no shortcuts in this method, but the process itself guarantees spectacular results. The dough, with 60% hydration (water content), is extremely resilient, easy to handle, and stretches wonderfully in your hands. We will use a clever kneading-and-resting system, which will help you easily develop a strong gluten network. This effort will pay off 100% when you cut your first hot, crispy slice with an insanely fluffy crust (cornicione).