Recipe Requested Neopolitan pizza dough

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Looking to get one of those baking steel brand pans for your oven. Would like to find a nice easy dough recipe that produces a nice uniform airy crust with good leoparding and stuff undercarriage. Where are all you pizza heads!? Thanks
 
I can help with baking steel more than pizza dough recipes as I just use my bread dough.

If you want steel and aren't afraid of impurities, you can get anything A36 steel. I have one thats 1/2 inch thick and about the size of my oven that I bought for about $60 from ebay. You can also get it from a local steel supplier but for me it was cheaper online. Its about 60 lbs and a pain in the ass the move. I do NOT recommend you get multiple pieces, however as doing so results in small lips that make sliding dough in and out a little more annoying if your racks are like mine and not super strong and stiff. I place it on the 2nd from the top level. With a broiler, I could get pizzas in less than 10 minutes. My dough is usually 60-70% whole wheat though so YMMV. I also like it bien cuit.

I also have an Al baking "steel". I found a 6000 series that was food safe. You need something like 1.25 in thick to get the same thermal capacity per surface area as 1/2 in steel. I think it comes out to like 2/3 the weight. I can do the calculations again if you're interested. The nice thing about Al is that if you're afraid, you can get very reputable Al from mcmaster car. It'll probably brown slightly faster too because Al thermal conductivity is like 5x steel. I never tested this however because I was making sheet pan pizzas by the time I got my Al baking steel.

Of course, you can use parchment under the pies and not have to worry about heavy metals, but you probably won't get as fast of a bake time. I prefer it, however, because its easier to get the pizzas in and out of the oven.

Regarding dough, I never really noticed a big difference between types of flour but I never tried 00 and I'm not a big fan of 100% white dough. I tried KA AP and KA sir lancelot. To be fair, I'm not a fan of white dough. I've baked out of Forkish's Flour water salt yeast pizza recipes and they seem to work out. Honestly, I think your oven matters a lot more than your dough. Also, you probably want yeasted. I never got great rise out of sourdough verses my yeasted pizza dough. If you want airy, you probably want to stay with all white flour. Forkish recommends 70% hydration. I never bothered with retarding in the fridge. Personally, I don't notice a big enough difference compared to adding whole wheat or rye. If you like chewy crust, you probably want a high gluten variety. 20-30% Sir lancelot adds a little chew and over 40% starts getting into a little too much for me.

Regardless, I would definitely develop the gluten fully! Make sure that you pass the windowpane test before bulk fermentation unless you won't be able to make very thin pizzas. There's a huge difference between properly developed gluten and improperly developed gluten. I can make translucent thin pizza dough (raw) on 70% whole wheat doughs with 40% porridge.

In my humble opinion, a home oven doesn't have enough power to make true neapolitan 2 minute pies. I think the best I ever got was 8 minutes on a baking steel. I had to preheat with my broiler, then time it such that I slid the pie into the oven when the broiler was on its on cycle. I ended up compromising and bake on a 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment. I get a crisp bottom with spotting (not quite the same as leopard spotting) and no soupy middle that always plagued my neapolitan pies. I bake at 500 for about 30-40 minutes depending on the type of pie. Its more like NY style or bar pizza than Neapolitan.

Good luck and I look forward to hearing about your progress!

Edit: It sounds weird, but I learned a lot about pizza from watching "the pizza show" on youtube.
 
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This is my go-to recipe for recommending - easy and delicious: Basic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe

I make pizza once a week, and I don't use a recipe anymore, instead going for baker's percentages. Basically, weigh everything out:
100% flour (this is what you base all the other percentages on)
65% Water (you can go higher with this. More water is nicer crust, but harder dough to work with)
2.5% Salt
0.5-1% yeast (depending on how long you want it to rise, and what temperature you let it rise at - I use 0.5% or less usually, and a 48 hour rise in the fridge)

Mix flour/salt. Mix yeast into warm water, add it to flour mixture, mix until combined (don't be afraid to get your hands messy). Wait 30 min, do a stretch and fold (like this, but your dough won't look this nice - that's ok - ), maybe wait 30 min and do it again. Then cover the bowl, put it in the fridge, and wait.

Two hours before you are going to cook the pizza, take the dough out and shape it into portioned balls (normally people ball the dough before the rise, but I don't have fridge space for that, and it makes no serious difference in my opinion). Let the portioned balls rest for 1.5-2 hours, and then shape and make pizza..

If you have access to 00 flour, use it, it will make a big difference.

EDIT: One more thing.. If you really want the true Neapolitan pizza, you need to invest in a real pizza oven. I bought an Ooni Koda 16, and it changed my life. =)
 
pizzamaking.com forum's dough calculator is my goto.
Yeast and temperature manage the proofing, salt inibits so you can play with those variables. I typically use less yeast and less salt than most recipes dictate and proof anywhere between 24 and 48 hours.
Adding 10% or so Manitoba flour can help wrestling with the dough when making pizza's especially when starting out playing with rolling pin free pizza making.

The above information is all good. Resting the dough long at low temperatures and Caputo 'cuoco' flour rings my bell loudest, and indeed you need an oven capable of reaching very high temperature. I'm using an electric 3GFerrari pizza oven for indoor use and a wood fired 'project' oven outside, aim is to bake the pizza in 60-90 seconds or so, not minutes.
 
Anytime I need 500+ degrees for anything, I turn to the grill. Pizza cooked in a closed grill on a cast iron pan comes out pretty good, though admittedly not as good as a real wood fired oven. I didn't measure the temperature the grill got to, but I'm guessing it was close to 700 degrees, way more than the oven could do. I even cooked last year's Thanksgiving turkey in the grill, since I use the high heat roasting method. No smoke in the house, no real cleanup, and it browned way better than the one done in the oven the past year.

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A baking steel has been the most beneficial thing for me in the quest for quality pizza in my home oven.
The first time I used it I got so much oven spring that my crust puffed up and the sauce and toppings slid into the middle..
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Things did improve with a little practice.
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that last one looks GOOD Lars!

trying to not touch the cornicciola (the fluffy outer ring, meaning making the pizza by hand) helps keeping the topping in the middle and the pizza from sticking to the oven floor, For a result look for leaoparding, brown and black spots all over the cornicciola

damn, now I need to start a dough as I got a craving for pizza....
 
I strongly second marcel’s recommendation for pizzamaking.com. It’s packed with the wealth of info from the collective passion of a forum full of nuts who obsess over pizza to the same depths as people here obsess over knives. I highly recommend this forum over a recipe as it will teach you valuable guidelines that will give you more flexibility and understanding than a recipe

I got a bit lost at first and had trouble finding exactly what I was looking for (think about the overstimula you felt when you first joined here). But these are the threads I used most that might be helpful for you.

I got my starting point for the formula/method my basic dough from this link:
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20477.0
Like rmrf I usually prefer to use whole grains as much as possible, but I continuously find I just get the most satisfying results with no more than 10% whole wheat flour. I’ve used several different producers 00 flours and I can’t say the difference was big enough to not just go to with the local, organic option. If you prefer to use commercial yeast (they often abbreviate as CY) you will find guidelines for so if you poke around, but I really prefer the taste/romance of sourdough (he uses a purchased culture but I get fine results with the starter I had).

This is the page I use the most: it has a table that will allow you to plan your sourdough inoculation quantity based on the temperatures and time you wish to ferment at. I have found it to be quite accurate.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=22649.0

this is one of the threads I used as guidance/inspiration for cooking in a crappy home oven. They call it nearlypolitan. There’s some other useful threads too but I can’t find them right now.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=10024.0

I’ve got a gas oven with the broiler on the bottom. I cook on the back of a cast iron pan (something made for a pizza would certainly be better) that has been preheated very thoroughly on the stove; then put about 2.5” under the broiler flame with the whole broiler area lined with aluminium foil to reflect heat. I get just over 2 minute cook times.

I use a spreadsheet to calculate my dough recipes. It’s pretty easy to put together (I’m not that good on computers) but I’m happy to try to dm you mine if I can. It‘s helpful for changing batch sizes, starter quantities, or tweaking ratios.

I’ve only done a dozen pizza nights so far but I have found improvements with each one, and I’d be happy to share any tips from my experiences so far if you have any questions, but I think the guys at pizzamaking really know their stuff

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I strongly second marcel’s recommendation for pizzamaking.com. It’s packed with the wealth of info from the collective passion of a forum full of nuts who obsess over pizza to the same depths as people here obsess over knives. I highly recommend this forum over a recipe as it will teach you valuable guidelines that will give you more flexibility and understanding than a recipe

I got a bit lost at first and had trouble finding exactly what I was looking for (think about the overstimula you felt when you first joined here). But these are the threads I used most that might be helpful for you.

I got my starting point for the formula/method my basic dough from this link:
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20477.0
Like rmrf I usually prefer to use whole grains as much as possible, but I continuously find I just get the most satisfying results with no more than 10% whole wheat flour. I’ve used several different producers 00 flours and I can’t say the difference was big enough to not just go to with the local, organic option. If you prefer to use commercial yeast (they often abbreviate as CY) you will find guidelines for so if you poke around, but I really prefer the taste/romance of sourdough (he uses a purchased culture but I get fine results with the starter I had).

This is the page I use the most: it has a table that will allow you to plan your sourdough inoculation quantity based on the temperatures and time you wish to ferment at. I have found it to be quite accurate.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=22649.0

this is one of the threads I used as guidance/inspiration for cooking in a crappy home oven. They call it nearlypolitan. There’s some other useful threads too but I can’t find them right now.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=10024.0

I’ve got a gas oven with the broiler on the bottom. I cook on the back of a cast iron pan (something made for a pizza would certainly be better) that has been preheated very thoroughly on the stove; then put about 2.5” under the broiler flame with the whole broiler area lined with aluminium foil to reflect heat. I get just over 2 minute cook times.

I use a spreadsheet to calculate my dough recipes. It’s pretty easy to put together (I’m not that good on computers) but I’m happy to try to dm you mine if I can. It‘s helpful for changing batch sizes, starter quantities, or tweaking ratios.

I’ve only done a dozen pizza nights so far but I have found improvements with each one, and I’d be happy to share any tips from my experiences so far if you have any questions, but I think the guys at pizzamaking really know their stuff

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That looks darn near perfect. Can’t believe you got that result out of a home oven. Great work.
 
It's already been mentioned in the thread, but it bears repeating: 00 flour really makes a big difference for Napolitan-style dough. You're gonna think "whatever, flour is flour, AP is fine", and then you're gonna stress about getting a good stretchy dough that you can pull thin enough for pizza, because AP isn't fine :)

Save the headache and get some 00.
 
My first try for pizza on the baking steel didn't go so hot - I was so damn annoyed I didn't take a pic. Luckily I was making it as a side for the dinner, so no real harm.

Now the steel did work awesome for making naan. Next time, I'll have it higher in the over for better browning. The pillowy soft dough was amazing.
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I don’t have a problem getting other flours to work for pizza. I think the main difference with 00 is that the crust turns out more tender.

Btw, you should alter the water percentage based on how long you’re cooking the pizza, since I think you lose more water with a longer, cooler bake than with a short nuclear bake. Neopolitan pizza dough is usually less hydrated since they’re cooking it for 90 seconds or whatever.

Sourdough and commercial yeast both work well.
 
The problem with baking steels IMO is that the heat needs to come from above, not below.

In my 'experimental' outdoor wood fired oven (fires below the oven) I experimented with a 5mm thick steel plate below a pizza stone. I can reach 600-700'C in the oven and the steel plate literally gets red hot. The pizza bakes real fast but mainly on the underside of the pizza. Next test will be to fire up the upper chamber aiming to make the steel plate go red hot and bake the pizza in the lower section (firing chamber).
 
I strongly second marcel’s recommendation for pizzamaking.com. It’s packed with the wealth of info from the collective passion of a forum full of nuts who obsess over pizza to the same depths as people here obsess over knives. I highly recommend this forum over a recipe as it will teach you valuable guidelines that will give you more flexibility and understanding than a recipe

I got a bit lost at first and had trouble finding exactly what I was looking for (think about the overstimula you felt when you first joined here). But these are the threads I used most that might be helpful for you.

I got my starting point for the formula/method my basic dough from this link:
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20477.0
Like rmrf I usually prefer to use whole grains as much as possible, but I continuously find I just get the most satisfying results with no more than 10% whole wheat flour. I’ve used several different producers 00 flours and I can’t say the difference was big enough to not just go to with the local, organic option. If you prefer to use commercial yeast (they often abbreviate as CY) you will find guidelines for so if you poke around, but I really prefer the taste/romance of sourdough (he uses a purchased culture but I get fine results with the starter I had).

This is the page I use the most: it has a table that will allow you to plan your sourdough inoculation quantity based on the temperatures and time you wish to ferment at. I have found it to be quite accurate.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=22649.0

this is one of the threads I used as guidance/inspiration for cooking in a crappy home oven. They call it nearlypolitan. There’s some other useful threads too but I can’t find them right now.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=10024.0

I’ve got a gas oven with the broiler on the bottom. I cook on the back of a cast iron pan (something made for a pizza would certainly be better) that has been preheated very thoroughly on the stove; then put about 2.5” under the broiler flame with the whole broiler area lined with aluminium foil to reflect heat. I get just over 2 minute cook times.

I use a spreadsheet to calculate my dough recipes. It’s pretty easy to put together (I’m not that good on computers) but I’m happy to try to dm you mine if I can. It‘s helpful for changing batch sizes, starter quantities, or tweaking ratios.

I’ve only done a dozen pizza nights so far but I have found improvements with each one, and I’d be happy to share any tips from my experiences so far if you have any questions, but I think the guys at pizzamaking really know their stuff

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thats a beautiful bottom on that pizza, thats very similar to what im after.
 
Hey there! Excited for you to start your pizza journey with the baking steel! I personally have two of them (the baking steel brand) and I love them. They totally elevate your home-pizza game. However, my home oven only reaches 500F and that is quite a limiting temperature when it comes to making pizzas. Pizza likes it hot! May I suggest not using 00 flour for a home oven. It's a very delicate flour, requiring a very hot temperature (wood-fired ovens) to reach its full potential, i.e leoparding.

However, there are some great home-oven hacks out there that make big differences. And the main one is positioning your steel right under the broiler. Pre-heat your oven at the max temperature for at least one hour and then blast the broiler. This will make the steel SUPER hot. I've seen some friends get their steels to up to 670F and also get some decent leoparding that way!

If you do insist on using 00 flour, I would blend it with a hi-gluten bread flour, such as King Arthur. That flour has the strength to keep the dough sturdy and structured, while the 00 should give it nice color and potential leapording! Have fun and always experiment!
 
We've had good results with this too. An infrared thermometer is useful to check the steel temp before sliding your pizza in.

Definitely! I love using mine! Really makes you more familiar with your pizza-making environment. Also lets you know what temps yield certain textures, colors, etc!
 
If you are aiming at Neapolitan pizza - aka 90 second bake, it is close to impossible with a baking steel and a home oven without hacks.

But it is possible to make damn fine Neapolitan-ish 3 min pizza.

For a formula:

flour 100% (00 pizzeria strength - Italian flours have W rating take appropriate, if too expensive use whatever you have available), but since you are not doing the 800F bake I think that AP will be also fine.
water 59%
oil - 2-3%
salt - 3%
yeast - take it from a calculator - it is highly dependent on the time. I would suggest a mix of room and cold ferment - the dough really gets better in every way after a day or two in the fridge.

Procedure - mix water, flour and yeast for a brief autolyze (30 min). Mix for a while, then throw the salt and the oil. You don't need to push gluten development as far as bread - pizza is usually long time ferment so the gluten will finish its development on its own.

Make a big dough ball, let it rest for couple of hours, divide, ball and then wait.

Shape the pizza however is your favorite style and bake with plenty of top infrared heat and make sure the steel has accumulated every ounce of heat it possibly could.
 
I'm in the process of converting a two door (stacked) wood oven, so far with mixed results. You really need to bake fast aka need high heat but that heat also needs to come from the right location., mostly from above.
The oven reaches approx 700'C (skin temp) and approx 500'C inside, still no dice.

I'm almost sure you can smoke the pizza pretty well, but likely won't be able to cook it fast enough. My first attempts were wood in the lower section (as designed) pizza on a griddle in the top section....they came out perfectly smokey (ahum) but took like 6 minutes. Further tinkering by adding a stone and 5mm steel slab made clear that there still is too much smoke and not enough heat from above. Next attempt will be to fire up in the upper chamber on the steel plate and put the pizza in the lower section....TBC
 
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Anybody tried to use an offset smoker as a wood fire pizza oven?

I do. I think it works great but I am no pizza expert. What I cook in my smoker is better than what we buy at local pizza chains in Texas. I am using Kingarthur 00 flour and their recipe. I run my temp up over 600 degrees F. I have a meat smoking thermometer and it does not go high enough so I don't know the exact temperature. I am looking for a thermometer to do both.

When the temperature gets that hot there is almost no smoke just heat. But eating it you can taste it was cooked over wood. I just need to be a better pizza maker. My pizzas cooks in 5 minutes and under depending on how many toppings. I have done 3-minute pizzas. I use a regular oven pizza stone in my smoker. If I get a thermometer maybe I can figure out how hot I can make it.

The high smoker temp burns off the high temp paint is the only down side.

Do you think steel would be better than a pizza stone? I worry it would burn the bottom of the pizza.
 
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there apparently is a max temp for the bottom before your pizza bottom goes all black, on my electrical Pizza oven that is around 330-350'C measured with the IR gun. I need to keep the lid with the heater in it open for like 5 minutes after reaching operating temperatures to avoid charring the bottom side.
 
I'm in the process of converting a two door (stacked) wood oven, so far with mixed results. You really need to bake fast aka need high heat but that heat also needs to come from the right location., mostly from above.
The oven reaches approx 700'C (skin temp) and approx 500'C inside, still no dice.

I'm almost sure you can smoke the pizza pretty well, but likely won't be able to cook it fast enough. My first attempts were wood in the lower section (as designed) pizza on a griddle in the top section....they came out perfectly smokey (ahum) but took like 6 minutes. Further tinkering by adding a stone and 5mm steel slab made clear that there still is too much smoke and not enough heat from above. Next attempt will be to fire up in the upper chamber on the steel plate and put the pizza in the lower section....TBC

You know I was thinking about your problem and maybe it is related to the wood. I use oak for wood for my pizzas as it does not smoke as much as say pecan. What wood are you using? I think the stone is a good idea as it should keep it from cooking to much from the bottom.

Here is a picture of my fire box off to the side on my smoker. I cook my pizzas on the left side away from the fire. The fire is in the far-right lower section.
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