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A hand pulls a cheesy slice from a freshly baked pizza, showcasing a soft, thick crust made from delicious Homemade Pizza Dough on a wooden board.
Maryam

Classic Neapolitan-Style Homemade Pizza Dough

Craft the perfect foundation for your homemade pizzas with this simple yet authentic Neapolitan-style dough. Featuring a slow fermentation, it yields a delightfully chewy crust with a beautiful crispy exterior.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 2 pizzas
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Dough
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115°F / 40-46°C)
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour (or '00' pizza flour, about 420-450g), plus more for dusting
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for greasing
  • 2 tbsp semolina flour (optional, for dusting)

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Stand Mixer with dough hook (optional)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen Scale (optional, but recommended)
  • Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
  • Baking Sheet

Method
 

Activate the Yeast
  1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is foamy, indicating the yeast is active. If it doesn't foam, your yeast might be old, and you should start over with fresh yeast.
Combine Dry Ingredients
  1. While the yeast is activating, in a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour and fine sea salt.
Mix the Dough
  1. Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add the olive oil. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon or using the dough hook of a stand mixer on low speed. Mix until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.
Knead the Dough
  1. If using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes, until it's smooth and passes the 'windowpane test' (you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing).
First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
  1. Lightly grease a clean bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. For a more flavorful dough, you can refrigerate it for 8-24 hours for a slow cold proof.
Divide and Shape
  1. Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath and rolling it against the counter to create tension on the surface.
Second Rise (Proofing)
  1. Place the dough balls on a lightly floured (or semolina-dusted) baking sheet, leaving space between them. Lightly dust the tops with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let them rest for another 30-45 minutes at room temperature, or until visibly puffy. This final proof helps create an airy, chewy crust.
Ready to Use
  1. Your homemade pizza dough is now ready to be shaped and topped for baking. Gently stretch or roll out each dough ball on a well-floured surface to your desired thickness and size.

Notes

For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure flour accurately. '00' pizza flour will give you a more authentic Neapolitan-style crust, but good quality bread flour also works wonderfully. This dough can be frozen after the first rise: wrap each dough ball tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temperature and proceeding with the second rise. For an even chewier crust, consider a longer, colder first proof in the refrigerator (up to 3 days).