Summary: Neapolitan pizza with a 65 % hydration dough, San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella and fresh basil. Baked at 800–900 °F for around 90 seconds. Makes 6 pizzas of about 11 inches. Resting time 24 hours.
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Category: Bread and Pastry, Italian Cuisine
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Quick Overview
- Dish: Pizza Napoletana
- Category: Bread and Pastry, Italian Cuisine
- Cuisine: Italian (Naples)
- Main ingredient: 00 flour, 2.2 lb (W 260–280, 12.5–13 % protein)
- Guide: 12 Most Famous Italian Dishes: Traditional Recipes
- Total time: 55 minutes active (40 min prep + 15 min baking), plus 24 hours dough rest
- Difficulty: Medium
- Servings: 6 (portion weight: 10 oz)
- Key technique: High-hydration dough and high-temperature baking
- Preparation types: Baking, dough fermentation
- Dietary info & allergens: Gluten, milk
- Suitable for: Family dinner, weekend cooking, pizza night
- Nutrition (per portion): 780 kcal, Protein: 30 g, Fat: 22 g, Carbohydrates: 112 g
- Storage: 2 days in the fridge, 1 month in the freezer (dough)
- Pairing: Lager, Aglianico, sparkling water with lemon
- In brief: A properly hydrated dough, good tomato, good mozzarella, and a very hot oven.
- Last updated: 23. 9. 2026
WAGUU says: “Neapolitan pizza is a balance between a wet dough and a very hot oven. Everything else is decoration.”
Key Facts
| Preparation: | 40 minutes |
| Cooking: | 15 minutes (6 pizzas, 2 minutes each) |
| Temperature: | 800–900 °F (pizza oven) or 500 °F (home oven on a stone) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a Glance
A thin base, a puffed rim, tomato that tastes of tomato, mozzarella that melts without weeping, and basil that hits the nose before the first bite.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Portion weight: 10 oz
| Ingredient | Quantity | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 00 flour | 35 oz | W 260–280, 12.5–13 % protein |
| Water | 22 fl oz | Room temperature, low mineral content |
| Fresh yeast | 0.07 oz | Fresh, crumbled |
| Fine sea salt | 0.9 oz | Fine, non-iodized |
| San Marzano tomatoes | 28 oz | Whole, peeled, DOP if possible |
| Fior di latte mozzarella | 21 oz | Cow’s milk, drained, torn by hand |
| Fresh basil | 0.7 oz | Leaves only, torn by hand |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 2 fl oz | Cold-pressed, mild |
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Flour, water, salt, yeast, tomato, mozzarella, basil, oil. Nothing else.
- Reliable dough: 65 % hydration gives a dough that is easy to shape and puffs at the rim.
- Works at home: A preheated stone or an inverted sheet pan gets close enough to the real thing.
Why it works: The 24-hour rest lets the gluten relax and enzymes develop flavor. The high heat at 800–900 °F sets the crust and puffs the rim in under two minutes, so the center stays moist and the toppings do not overcook.
Recipe Overview
Preparation: 40 min | Cooking: 15 min | Difficulty: Medium | Servings: 6 | Type: Main dish | Origin: Italian (Naples)
Detailed Method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Dough – 20 min
Equipment: Large bowl, fork, work surface
1. Pour 22 fl oz of room-temperature water into a large bowl. Dissolve 0.9 oz of fine sea salt in the water and stir until fully dissolved. Crumble in 0.07 oz of fresh yeast and stir again.
Visual check: The water is clear, no undissolved salt at the bottom of the bowl.
Before you continue:
Do not add the flour before the salt is fully dissolved. Undissolved salt will sit on the surface of the dough and create dark spots.
Phase 2: Mixing – 15 min
Equipment: Large bowl, hands or dough scraper
2. Add 35 oz of 00 flour to the water in three stages. Mix with a fork or your hand after each addition. When the dough starts to come together, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Visual check: The dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky. When pressed with a finger, it springs back slowly.
Phase 3: Rest and divide – 24 h
Equipment: Bowl, cling film or lid, bench scraper, dough tray
3. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature (65–68 °F) for 1 hour. Then place in the fridge for 22 hours. Take the dough out 2 hours before baking. Divide into 6 equal pieces of about 10 oz, shape each into a tight ball and place on a floured tray. Cover and rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
Visual check: After the cold rest the dough has increased by about half. The balls are smooth and hold their shape.
Before you continue:
Do not use cold dough straight from the fridge. Cold dough tears when stretched. Wait 2 hours at room temperature.
Phase 4: Tomato and mozzarella – 5 min
Equipment: Bowl, hands
4. Crush 28 oz of San Marzano tomatoes by hand in a bowl. Season lightly with salt. Drain 21 oz of fior di latte mozzarella and tear it into pieces. Do not slice it – torn pieces melt more evenly.
Visual check: The tomatoes are crushed but not puréed. The mozzarella pieces are about 3/4 inch wide.
Phase 5: Shaping – 4 min per pizza
Equipment: Work surface, hands, semolina or flour
5. Place one dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Press from the center outwards with your fingertips, leaving a 1/2 inch rim untouched. Lift and stretch the base over your knuckles until it is about 11 inches across. Do not use a rolling pin.
Visual check: The base is thinner in the center and thicker at the rim. The rim holds its shape when lifted.
Phase 6: Baking – 2 min per pizza
Equipment: Pizza oven (800–900 °F) or home oven with stone (500 °F), pizza peel
6. Top the base with 4.5 oz of crushed tomato, spreading it thinly with the back of a spoon. Add 3.5 oz of torn mozzarella. Slide onto a hot stone or sheet pan. Bake for 90 seconds at 800–900 °F, rotating once. Finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
Visual check: The rim is puffed and has dark spots. The center is soft, not dry. The mozzarella is melted but not browned.
Required Equipment
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza oven or home oven | 800–900 °F / 500 °F | Preheated baking stone at 500 °F | Without high heat, the base will not puff |
| Pizza peel | 12 inches wide | Inverted baking sheet | A hot peel will stick; dust well with flour or semolina |
| Large bowl | 5 quarts | Food-grade plastic container | A small bowl will overflow during fermentation |
Shopping List
Nutrition Profile
Values per 1 portion (without side). Calculated from average nutritional values of the ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 279 kcal | 780 kcal | 4680 kcal |
| Fat | 7.9 g | 22 g | 132 g |
| of which saturated | 3.6 g | 10 g | 60 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g | 112 g | 672 g |
| of which sugars | 2.5 g | 7 g | 42 g |
| Protein | 10.7 g | 30 g | 180 g |
| Salt | 1.1 g | 3 g | 18 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro Level
- Pro standard: Tested recipe with exact ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use 00 flour with W 260–280. Weaker flour gives a flat crust.
- Tip 2: Let the dough rest 24 hours in the fridge. The flavor develops slowly, not quickly.
- Tip 3: Do not slice the mozzarella – tear it. Sliced cheese releases water on the pizza and makes the center soggy.
- Tip 4: Preheat the stone for at least 45 minutes at maximum oven temperature before baking.
Scientific Background
The 24-hour rest is not just for flavor. During the cold fermentation, enzymes break down starch into simpler sugars and proteins into amino acids, which develop aroma. The 65 % hydration gives the dough enough water for the gluten to develop a strong, extensible network, which puffs at the rim in the very hot oven. At 800–900 °F, the surface of the dough dries out within seconds, trapping steam inside the rim – this is what creates the characteristic airy edge.
Fine Dining – Professional Techniques
- Plate composition: One pizza per person, cut into four slices, served on a wooden board or a warm plate.
- Textural contrast: The puffed rim, the soft center, the melted cheese – three textures in one bite.
- Temperature contrast: Serve immediately, straight from the oven. The pizza continues to cook on the plate.
- Aromatic additions: Basil is added after baking, not before. The heat would destroy the aroma.
Sensory Radar
- Appearance: Puffed rim with dark spots, melted mozzarella, red tomato base, green basil leaves.
- Aroma: Fresh basil, baked wheat, tomato, milk fat.
- Taste: Sweet tomato, salty cheese, slight bitterness from the charred crust.
- Texture: Crisp rim, soft base, molten cheese, fresh basil.
Pairing
- Beer: A clean lager or a light Italian birra chiara.
- Wine: Aglianico or a young Sangiovese.
- Non-alcoholic: Sparkling water with a slice of lemon.
Variations of Preparation
- Marinara: No cheese. Tomato, garlic, oregano, olive oil.
- Diavola: Spicy salami added on top of tomato and mozzarella.
Allergens and Dietary Information
Contains: Gluten, milk • Gluten: Contains • Not suitable for: Celiac disease, lactose intolerance
Suitable For
Family dinner, weekend cooking, pizza night, casual entertaining.
Substitution Catalogue
- 00 flour: Bread flour with at least 12.5 % protein (result will be slightly chewier).
- Fior di latte: Buffalo mozzarella (drain longer) or low-moisture mozzarella.
- San Marzano: Any good-quality whole peeled tomatoes.
- Fresh yeast: 0.025 oz active dry yeast (add directly to the flour).
FAQ
Why is my dough sticky?
At 65 % hydration the dough is meant to be slightly tacky. If it is unmanageable, wet your hands rather than adding more flour – adding flour changes the ratio.
Can I use a rolling pin?
No. A rolling pin presses out the gas from the rim and the pizza will not puff.
Why does my mozzarella release water?
It was sliced instead of torn, or it was not drained enough. Tear it into pieces and let it drain on paper towels for 20 minutes.
Can I make pizza without a pizza oven?
Yes. Preheat a baking stone or an inverted heavy sheet pan at 500 °F for 45 minutes. The result will be close but not identical.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Bake in two batches. Keep finished pizzas in a warm oven at 175 °F. • 10+ people: Prepare the dough in two bowls to avoid overcrowding. Bake continuously and serve as they come out.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: 2 days (baked pizza, wrapped) • Freezer: 1 month (dough balls, before shaping) • Reheating: Baked pizza – 5 minutes in a 350 °F oven on a hot sheet pan. Dough – thaw in the fridge overnight, then 2 hours at room temperature before shaping.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 23 Sep 2026
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Most Common Mistakes
- Using cold dough – it tears and does not stretch evenly. Let it warm up for 2 hours.
- Slicing the mozzarella – it releases water. Tear it into pieces and drain it.
- Adding too much tomato – the base becomes soggy. 4.5 oz per pizza is enough.
- Not preheating the stone – the pizza bakes too slowly and dries out. Preheat for at least 45 minutes.