Classic Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Great pizza starts with great dough, and a proper Neapolitan-style base is easier to make than you might think. The secret is patience - a long, cold fermentation develops deep flavour and a light, airy texture that you simply cannot rush. This recipe makes four dough balls, which is enough for a brilliant pizza session with friends or family. It's also the base dough for several other recipes in our collection.

Ingredients

• 1kg 00 flour (or strong bread flour if you can't find 00)
• 600ml cold water
• 2 tsp (10g) fine salt
• 1 sachet (7g) instant yeast
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Combine the flour and yeast in a large bowl, mixing them together so the yeast is evenly distributed.
2. Add the cold water, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until you have a shaggy, rough dough. Don't worry about it being smooth at this stage.
3. Cover the bowl and rest for 20 minutes. This autolyse step lets the flour fully hydrate and makes kneading much easier.
4. Turn the dough out and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic. It should spring back when you poke it. If it's sticking badly, lightly oil your hands rather than adding more flour.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover tightly, and cold-ferment in the fridge for 24-48 hours. You can push this to 72 hours for even more flavour development.
6. When you're ready to cook, divide the dough into 4 equal balls (roughly 250g each). Place them on a floured tray, cover loosely, and let them come to room temperature for 2-3 hours. They'll puff up noticeably.
7. Stretch each ball gently by hand - fingertips first to push out from the centre, then drape over your knuckles and let gravity do the stretching. Never use a rolling pin on Neapolitan dough; it pushes out all the air you've spent days creating.

Bake at the highest temperature your oven will reach - ideally 500-550°F (260-290°C) or higher. A proper wood-fired pizza oven will handle 400°C+ with ease.