what ratio of… · baking
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What baker's percentage for pizza dough?
Neapolitan pizza: 100% 00 flour + 60% water + 2% salt + 0.5% yeast (or 20% starter). New York style: 100% bread flour + 65% water + 2% salt + 0.5% yeast + 2% olive oil. Sicilian/focaccia-style: 100% bread flour + 75% water + 2% salt + 1% yeast + 5% olive oil.
The full answer
Why pizza dough has multiple styles + percentages
Different pizza traditions use different ratios for different textures: - Neapolitan (Naples-style): low hydration, very high oven temp, fast bake = chewy, charred exterior, soft interior - New York-style: medium-high hydration, lower oven temp, longer bake = foldable, crisp-chewy - Sicilian/Detroit/focaccia: high hydration, baked in pan = airy, thick, light interior
Neapolitan-style (canonical European)
| Ingredient | % | For 500g flour |
|---|---|---|
| 00 flour | 100% | 500g |
| Water (warm 95°F) | 58-60% | 290-300g |
| Salt | 2% | 10g |
| Yeast (instant) | 0.3-0.5% | 1.5-2.5g |
| OR sourdough starter | 20% | 100g |
| Sugar | 0% | (no) |
| Oil | 0% | (none — traditional) |
Method: 1. Mix; bulk ferment 8-24 hours at 65°F (or room temp 4-8 hr) 2. Divide into balls (200-250g each) 3. Ball-proof 6-24 hours 4. Stretch + bake at 800-900°F (425-485°C) for 60-90 seconds 5. Result: thin charred crust, chewy lift, classic San Marzano + mozzarella topping
New York-style (NYC standard)
| Ingredient | % | For 500g flour |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 100% | 500g |
| Water | 65% | 325g |
| Salt | 2% | 10g |
| Yeast (active dry) | 0.5% | 2.5g |
| Sugar | 1% | 5g |
| Olive oil | 2% | 10g |
Method: 1. Mix; ferment 24-72 hours in fridge 2. Divide into balls (300g each) 3. Stretch + bake at 500-550°F for 8-12 min 4. Result: foldable wedge slice, slight crispness, more chew, NYC tradition
Sicilian/Detroit-style + focaccia (high hydration)
| Ingredient | % | For 500g flour |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour OR 00 | 100% | 500g |
| Water | 70-80% | 350-400g |
| Salt | 2% | 10g |
| Yeast | 1% | 5g |
| Olive oil | 5% | 25g |
Method: 1. Mix; bulk ferment 1-2 hours 2. Stretch into well-oiled pan; ferment in pan 30-60 min 3. Bake at 475-500°F for 15-25 min 4. Result: thick, light, oily-crisp bottom, airy interior
Critical: high heat is non-negotiable for Neapolitan
Home ovens max out at 500-550°F. True Neapolitan needs 800°F+ (wood-fired or specialized pizza oven). At 550°F: the bake takes 6-8 min vs 60 seconds at 800°F. Resulting crust is more "American" (less charred + chewier) than authentic. Workarounds: - Pizza steel + broiler on high (gets to ~650°F) - Outdoor wood-fired oven - Restaurant-grade pizza ovens at home (Roccbox, Ooni, etc.)
Long ferment matters
Pro pizzaiolos ferment 24-72 hours in fridge (cold retard). This: - Develops gluten without overworking - Creates complex flavor (lactic acid + alcohol byproducts) - Improves digestibility (long ferment partially breaks down gluten) - Produces airy, light crumb
Same-day pizza is OK but visibly less complex than 48-72-hour ferment.
00 flour vs bread flour
- 00 flour (Italian): very finely milled, low protein (10-12%) — produces tender, less chewy crust. Good for Neapolitan (high heat allows protein to develop quickly).
- Bread flour (US, 12-14% protein): chewier, more tolerant of medium heat. Standard for NY-style + most home ovens.
- AP flour (10-12%): produces tender but less chewy crust. Works in a pinch.
Cross-reference: see /pages/what-ratio-of/baker-percentage-flour-base for general BP + /pages/how-long-does/pizza-dough-rise for pizza-specific ferment + /pages/what-temperature-for/pizza-oven for oven temps.
Time ranges by condition
| Condition | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan (500g flour) | 8-24 hr ferment + 60-90 sec bake at 800°F+ | BP: 100/60/2/0.5 |
| NY-style (500g flour) | 24-72 hr ferment + 8-12 min bake at 500-550°F | BP: 100/65/2/0.5/2/1 (oil + sugar) |
| Sicilian/focaccia (500g flour) | 1-2 hr ferment + 30-60 min pan-proof + 15-25 min bake at 475-500°F | BP: 100/75/2/1/5 |
| Same-day pizza (NY-style) | 4-6 hours total | Reduce ferment to 2-4 hours; less flavor but workable |
What changes the time
- Pizza style. Neapolitan = 60% hyd. NY = 65%. Sicilian = 75%. Each requires different oven temp + bake time.
- Oven temperature. 800°F = 90 sec bake (Neapolitan). 550°F = 8-12 min (NY style). Lower temp = longer bake = less char.
- Flour type. 00 (low protein, tender) for Neapolitan. Bread flour (high protein, chewy) for NY. AP flour acceptable but less ideal.
- Ferment duration. 24-72 hr cold ferment = best flavor. Same-day = OK; significantly less depth.
- Hydration. Higher hydration = airier, more open crumb. Lower = denser, more chew.
Common questions
My home oven only goes to 500°F — can I still make pizza?
Yes — NY-style and Sicilian style are home-oven friendly at 500°F. For better results: invest in a pizza steel ($60-80) which holds heat better than stone. Place on top rack with broiler on high for last 1-2 min. Crust will be more "NY foldable slice" than charred Neapolitan, but still excellent. Avoid attempting Neapolitan at home unless you have a specialty pizza oven (800°F+).
Why is my pizza dough not crispy on the bottom?
Three causes: (1) Oven not hot enough — preheat to max temp (500-550°F) for 1+ hour. Most home ovens take 30+ min to reach + stabilize temperature. (2) Skipping pizza stone/steel — direct oven floor or thin baking sheet doesn't transfer heat fast enough. (3) Topping moisture — too much sauce or wet toppings (fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes) wets the crust. Reduce topping moisture + add toppings minimally for best crisp.
Can I freeze pizza dough?
Yes — freeze in pre-portioned balls. Mix dough, bulk ferment, divide + shape into balls. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic + freeze. To use: thaw in fridge 12-24 hours OR room temp 2-3 hours. Continue ferment + stretch + bake normally. Frozen dough holds 2-3 months. Some pizzaiolos argue 24-48 hours of frozen aging actually improves flavor.
Sources
We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.
- T2Ken Forkish, "The Elements of Pizza" — Authoritative published reference for all pizza styles with BP
- T2Anthony Falco, "Pizza for Everybody" — Practical home + restaurant pizza techniques
- T1Modernist Pizza (Myhrvold) — Comprehensive scientific exploration of pizza dough
- T2Vincenzo Capuano, traditional Neapolitan methodology — Italian master pizzaiolo published techniques
- T2King Arthur Baking — Pizza Dough Guide — Authoritative home-baker reference
Books referenced in this answer
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- The Elements of Pizza — Ken ForkishFind on Amazon
- Modernist Pizza — Nathan MyhrvoldFind on Amazon
Gear that helps with this
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- Digital kitchen scaleSee options on Amazon
- Baking steel / stoneSee options on Amazon
Cite this page
de Vries, P. (2026). What baker's percentage for pizza dough?. AskedWell. Retrieved 2026-08-29, from https://askedwell.com/pages/what-ratio-of/pizza-dough-baker-percent
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