What Makes Neapolitan Pizza Different?
True Neapolitan pizza — pizza napoletana — is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product governed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). It has a thin centre, a puffy, charred cornicione (crust edge), and a soft, foldable middle. It is baked in a wood-fired oven at 450–500°C for 60–90 seconds. At home we can't reach those temperatures, but with the right dough and technique, we can get remarkably close.
The secret is threefold: high-protein 00 flour, minimal yeast, and a long cold fermentation of 48–72 hours. This patience is what builds flavour and creates a dough so extensible you can stretch it paper-thin without tearing.
Ingredients (makes 4 × 270g dough balls)
- Tipo 00 flour (or strong bread flour)800 g
- Cold water 520 g
- Fine sea salt 22 g
- Instant dried yeast 0.8 g (¼ tsp)
Hydration: 65% · Yeast: 0.1% (very low, for long cold fermentation)
Method
Mix the Dough
Dissolve the yeast in the cold water. In a large bowl, add 600g of the flour. Pour in the water-yeast mixture and stir until combined. Add the salt, then gradually add the remaining 200g flour while kneading. Turn the dough out and knead by hand for 10–12 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Alternatively, knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium for 7 minutes.
Bulk Ferment at Room Temperature — 2 Hours
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave at room temperature (around 20–22°C) for 2 hours. The dough won't double — it's not meant to at this stage. Just a modest 20–30% increase is normal with this small amount of yeast.
Divide and Ball
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (~335g each). Using your cupped hands on the bench, form each portion into a tight ball by dragging it gently toward you in circles. The surface should be taut. Place each ball into a lightly oiled lidded container (or a floured proofing box).
Cold Ferment — 48 to 72 Hours in the Fridge
This is where real Neapolitan dough is born. Refrigerate the dough balls for a minimum of 48 hours — 72 hours is better. During this long, cold fermentation, enzymes slowly break down starches and proteins, creating complex flavour compounds and an incredibly extensible gluten network that can be stretched razor-thin.
Temper — 2 to 4 Hours Before Baking
Take the dough balls out of the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 2–4 hours before baking. Cold dough springs back aggressively when you stretch it. Tempering allows the gluten to relax so you can stretch the pizza to a thin 30–32cm disc without it fighting back.
Stretch by Hand — Never Use a Rolling Pin
Dust your work surface with fine semolina or 00 flour. Press the dough ball flat with your fingertips, leaving a 2cm border for the cornicione. Then drape it over your knuckles and rotate while gently stretching outward. Work around the edge, letting gravity do the work. Aim for 30–32cm. A few thin spots are fine — tiny holes can be pinched closed.
Top and Bake at Maximum Heat
Transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel dusted with semolina (so it slides easily). Top quickly: a thin layer of San Marzano tomato sauce, torn mozzarella di bufala (or fior di latte), and a few basil leaves. Slide onto your preheated stone/steel. Bake at your oven's maximum heat (250°C minimum) for 5–8 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cornicione is puffed and charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling.
On Flour: 00 vs Bread Flour
Tipo 00 flour is very finely milled Italian flour. Its fine grain creates a silkier, more extensible dough that's easier to stretch thin. However, it's not always available. Strong bread flour (12–14% protein) is an excellent substitute and produces a slightly chewier, rustier cornicione many people actually prefer. Don't use all-purpose flour — it lacks sufficient protein for the long fermentation.
Pro Tips
- Less yeast = more flavour. 0.8g of yeast for 800g flour sounds absurd. It's correct. The long fermentation provides the leavening — the yeast is just there to support it.
- Semolina on the peel is non-negotiable. It acts like tiny ball-bearings. If the dough sticks to the peel, it's a catastrophic launch failure.
- Make it ahead. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bake fresh pizza all week with one batch of dough.
- Don't overload the pizza. Authentically, Neapolitan pizza uses very little topping. Too much cheese = soggy base. Less is always more.
Storing the Dough
Unbaked dough balls keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. After day 3, the dough becomes increasingly extensible and flavourful as fermentation deepens. Beyond day 5, the structure weakens. You can also freeze balled dough after the cold ferment — defrost overnight in the fridge and then temper as normal.