Recipes › Bread & Pizza › Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe

Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This classic Italian pizza crust delivers authentic Neapolitan character with a crispy exterior and tender, airy crumb. Made with just four simple ingredients and slow fermentation, it develops deep flavor and perfect texture. The dough foundation transforms into the ideal canvas for your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

• 500g (3.5 cups) bread flour
• 325ml (1.1 cups) lukewarm water
• 10g (2 teaspoons) sea salt
• 5g (1 teaspoon) instant dry yeast

Instructions

1. Combine flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl, stirring to distribute evenly. Create a well in the center and pour in the lukewarm water.

2. Mix with your fingers or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour remaining. The dough will be sticky and rough at this stage.

3. Let the dough rest uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes. This autolyse period allows the flour to fully hydrate.

4. Add the sea salt and mix thoroughly by folding the dough onto itself for 3-4 minutes until salt is fully incorporated and dough becomes slightly less sticky.

5. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled surface and knead gently for 2 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours.

6. Remove dough from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Divide into 2 equal portions and shape each into a ball. Let rest on a floured surface for 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 260°C (500°F) with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside for 20 minutes.

8. Stretch one dough ball gently by hand or with a rolling pin until approximately 30cm (12 inches) in diameter, creating a slight thickness at the edges.

9. Transfer stretched dough to a floured pizza peel and add desired toppings, keeping the rim light on sauce.

10. Slide pizza onto the preheated stone and bake for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, rotating halfway through if needed.

Substitutions

• Whole wheat flour: Replace up to 25% of bread flour for nuttier flavor and increased fiber; slightly reduce water to 320ml.
• All-purpose flour: Use in place of bread flour for a thinner, less chewy crust; dough will have slightly less elasticity.
• Olive oil addition: Add 15ml (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil to dough for richer flavor and softer crumb.
• Active dry yeast: Use 7g (2.25 teaspoons) active dry yeast if instant yeast is unavailable; increase first rise by 30 minutes.

Tips

• Cold fermentation overnight develops superior flavor through slow yeast activity and enzyme development. Plan ahead for best results.
• Use bread flour specifically—its higher protein content creates better gluten development and chew than all-purpose flour.
• A pizza stone or steel preheated in the oven for 20 minutes ensures a properly crisp bottom crust and even browning.
• Stretch dough gently from the center outward with your fingers rather than rolling to preserve air bubbles that create the ideal crust structure.

Authentic Italian pizza crust, particularly in Naples where pizza originated in the 18th century, emphasizes simplicity and quality ingredients with proper fermentation times. The slow cold rise used in this recipe mirrors traditional methods that allow natural flavor development and digestibility.

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