Modern Napoletana
A lean Neapolitan dough designed around a long room-temperature fermentation.
This is a Neapolitan dough that never sees the fridge. It ferments at room temperature from start to finish, first in one piece and then as dough balls. The rules of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana describe the same two stages, at room temperature or in a proofing chamber.
The formula in numbers
- Hydration
- 62.3%
- Salt
- 2%
- Olive Oil
- none
- Portion
- 4 × 250 g, about 29.1 cm
- Fermentation source
- Instant Yeast
- Bulk at room temperature
- 22 h
- Final proof
- 3 h
- Flour strength
- W 260–320
- Flour protein
- 11.5–13.5%
How to prepare it
- Flour608 g
- Water379 g
- Salt12 g
- Instant Yeast0.47 g
- Dough relaxer0.06 g
The yeast is dosed for the fermentation times of this formula. The calculator adjusts it to your flour, your kitchen and your schedule.
- W 260–320
The dough
Flour, water, salt and a very small dose of yeast. No oil and no sugar. Use a bread flour or a 00 flour of W 260 to 320.
The formula also lists a dough relaxer, a baking additive that makes dough stretch more easily. It is optional. Leave it out if you do not have it.
- 62.3% water
Mixing
Dissolve the salt in the water, add the flour a little at a time and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. At 62.3% hydration it is easy to handle.
A long fermentation at room temperature runs on very little yeast. Weigh it on a precise scale.
- 22 h
Fermentation
Leave the dough in one piece for 22 h at room temperature, covered. There is no fridge in this plan.
The yeast dose depends on your room. Enter your kitchen temperature in the calculator and it adjusts the dose.
- 3 h
Dough balls
Divide the dough into 4 balls of 250 g and leave them covered at room temperature for 3 h. A ball is ready when it is soft and clearly bigger.
Seal the seam under each ball. A weak seam can tear when you open the dough.
- 90 s
Shaping and baking
Press the ball out from the centre with your fingertips and leave the rim untouched. A 250 g ball opens to about 29.1 cm. Top it lightly and bake at around 485°C (905°F) for about 90 s, turning it so it colours evenly.
A home oven does not get that hot. Pick your oven in the calculator and it adapts the bake.
The most common mistakes
Wrong:Measuring the yeast by eye
Right:Weigh it. The dose is tiny, and a little too much ends the long fermentation early.
Wrong:Keeping the same yeast dose in a much warmer kitchen
Right:Tell the calculator your room temperature. It lowers the dose, so the plan still takes 25 h.
Wrong:Rolling the dough out with a rolling pin
Right:Open it by hand from the centre, so the gas stays in the rim.
Wrong:A lot of sauce and cheese
Right:Use less. A wet centre will not bake through in 90 s.
Recommended flours
Flour for this formula: W 260–320, 11.5–13.5% protein. Ranked by fit, then by availability in your country, then by popularity.
