Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Chewy, charred, and perfectly blistered — 72-hour cold-fermented dough.

Neapolitan Pizza Dough — Ronbo Fan recipe
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Published  ·  ⭐ 3.5 (13 reviews)

PrepCookTotalYield
30 min10 min72 hr4 pizza bases

Difficulty: Medium


Ingredients

Dough (4 bases)


Steps Overview

  1. Mix dough (no kneading needed)
  2. First rest 30 minutes then brief fold
  3. Cold ferment in fridge 48–72 hours
  4. Ball up and proof at room temperature 2–3 hours
  5. Stretch by hand and top
  6. Bake on screaming-hot stone or heavy pan

Step-by-Step

1. Mix the dough

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Dissolve yeast in the cold water, then pour into the flour. Mix with your hand until no dry flour remains — about 2 minutes. The dough will be rough and shaggy. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Stretch and fold

Perform one set of stretch-and-folds: wet your hand, pull one side of the dough up and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate 90° and repeat for all four sides. Cover and leave for 30 minutes, then refrigerate.

3. Cold ferment

Leave in the fridge for 48–72 hours. The slow, cold ferment develops complex flavour and creates an extensible, easy-to-stretch dough.

4. Ball up

Remove from fridge 3 hours before baking. Divide into 4 equal pieces (about 260 g each). Shape each into a tight ball by folding the edges under and pulling the surface taut. Place on a well-oiled tray, cover with cling film, and prove at room temperature for 2–3 hours until relaxed and puffy.

5. Stretch and bake

Preheat your oven with a pizza stone or heavy steel sheet on the top rack to its maximum temperature (at least 250 °C) for 45 minutes. On a floured surface, press one ball flat with your fingers, then use your knuckles to gently stretch it into a 30 cm round. Transfer to a floured peel or inverted baking tray, add toppings, and slide onto the hot stone. Bake for 6–9 minutes until blistered and charred.


Notes