This is a living document I use to gather my findings at making neapolitan-style pizza.
Most, if not all, the recommendations in this document have been tested by manipulating the single variable mentioned while keeping the rest unaltered.
- Aim for 60% to 70% hydration.
Why?: low hydration dough achieves less oven spring.
Why?: low hydration dough hardens and chars faster during cooking.
Why?: high hydration dough is harder to work with.
Why?: high hydration dough overproofs more easily.
- Fold the dough 4-6 times while it is rising.
Why?: folding helps build dough elasticity/strength.
- Cover dough balls with cellophane wrap when storing them in the fridge.
Why?: dough exposed to dry air in the fridge will unevenly lose moisture, and thus elasticity.
- Stretch and fold the dough into a ball and leave it to rest before shaping.
Why?: stored dough builds up more moisture on the bottom than on the top, making it more sticky.
Why?: dough structure becomes less homogenous while fermenting, making it easier to tear when shaping.
- Shape dough at room temperature.
Why?: cold dough is less elastic and rips more easily.
Why?: warm dough is more elastic and less forgiving of over-stretching.
Why?: warm dough can ferment further on the counter.
- Keep total topping weight low.
Why?: heavy toppings will take longer to cook.
Why?: heavy toppings will weight down the tip of the slice, making it droop down.
Why?: heavy toppings can prevent enough the dough from cooking through.
- Cook dough that is at room temperature.
Why?: cold dough achieves less oven spring.
Why?: cold dough chars base more easily.
- Use the least amount of dusting flour possible.
Why?: Carbonized flour beneath the pizza gives it a bad taste.
Why?: Reducing heat transfer to pizza base reduces possible oven spring.