Description
This authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough recipe offers a simple yet traditional way to make the perfect pizza crust at home. Combining flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt, the dough is kneaded until smooth, allowed to rise, and then baked at a high temperature to achieve a crisp yet chewy crust ideal for topping with your favorite ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of water with 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts to bubble.
- Mix Ingredients: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Add Flour: Gradually add 4 cups of all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, stirring continuously until a shaggy dough starts to form.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10-15 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for this step.
- First Rise: Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, covering it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
- Punch Down and Divide: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts for 2 medium pizzas or keep it whole for a larger one.
- Shape the Dough: Shape and stretch the dough into your desired pizza crust size, making sure it’s evenly thick all around. Transfer it to a pizza peel or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Add Toppings: Top the pizza dough with your favorite ingredients, such as tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil.
- Bake the Pizza: Bake the Neapolitan pizza in a preheated oven at 500°F (260°C) for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy your homemade Neapolitan pizza!
Notes
- Allow the dough to rise fully for best texture and flavor.
- Use a pizza stone or steel in the oven for a crispier crust.
- If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a baking sheet to transfer the pizza to the oven.
- High oven temperature is crucial to mimic traditional Neapolitan baking.
- For a more flavorful crust, consider refrigerating the dough overnight for a slow fermentation.
