When it comes to pizza crusts, there are rules around what can be called a “Neapolitan” crust, according to Alexandra Stafford, author of the new “Pizza Night: Deliciously Doable Recipes for Pizza and Salad” (Clarkson Potter, $30). “True Neapolitan pizza is made with only flour, water, salt and yeast in specified ratios to produce a dough that measures 55% to 62% hydration. Moreover, it must be baked in a wood-burning oven at 900 degrees for 60 to 90 seconds,” she writes.
So her pizza crust, while “Neapolitan in spirit” is, rather, Neapolitanish. It comes out “thin but not paper thin with a slightly ballooned rim” and has a higher hydration, at 77%, since being cooked in a home oven means the dough cooks at a much lower temperature for a longer period of time. Timeline: 21⁄2 to 3 daysMakes four 245- to 250-gram balls 550 grams (about 41⁄4 cups) bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 15 grams salt 2 grams (about 1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast 425 to 450 grams (13⁄4 to 2 cups) cold water (about 60 degrees) Extra-virgin olive oil Note: If you live in a humid environment or are new to pizza making, start with 425 grams of water.
The dough may feel dry immediately after mixing, but as the dough rises, the flour will continue to hydrate, and when you turn out the dough to portion it, it will feel much wetter and stickier. If you are an experienced pizza maker and don’t mind working with a higher hydration dough, you can use 450 grams of wat.
