The Three Tangy Pizza Dough

Without any doubt, the pizza is yummy in every kind. But still, I am often asked about the nitty-gritty of different pizza crusts out there.

Well, choosing Neapolitan pie or Sicilian slice is always a tough decision. Especially when a mustached waiter won't stop telling you about the San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella spread on the flatbread. Do you have a misty knowledge about the different types of pizza dough? No! Well, don't worry! We are here to offer you some guidance on the different recipes of pizza crusts. It will also help you to navigate about pizza and easily distinguish between Neapolitan style, New York-style, and Sicilian style dough.

Neapolitan style pizza dough

Neapolitan pizza is the real and simplest form of pizza dated back in the 18th century. On the other way, it's not wrong to call it a most complicated type of pizza in which the smallest mistakes can escalate the finished product. So there is no room for error when baking Neapolitan pizza.

The only ingredients that you need to prepare the Neapolitan style pizza dough are all-purpose flour, especially Italian "OO" type, instant yeast, salt, and water. Though the ingredients are limited but long cold fermentation, which results in the breakage of starch into the simple sugars and formation of gluten. This allows the dough to stretch out and rise with a dark spots.

A perfect Neapolitan pie should be soft, crispy, and pillowy with the dark char spots. As it is baked in a super-hot oven so the inside must be chewy, moist, and savory. There is even a strict rule about the appearance of the pizza; that is, the pie should be stiff enough so you can't hold it in hand; instead, the use of utensils (fork and knife) is highly recommended.

Traditionally, Neapolitan pizza is baked on a wood-burning oven for about 90 seconds. For baking a perfect pie, a fancy oven is not a mandatory. It can be made by adopting the following hacks,

·       Skillet broiler method

·       The kettle pizza grill inserts to use.

·       The stove top method

·       Putting directly on the grill

Its Specialty

Crispy and thin-crust are made at extreme temperatures to produce a perfect puffing and charring before it dries out and becomes stiff.

Flour type:

Prefer any type of protein-rich flour for the best results; you can use finely ground Italian style flour e.g.

·       Caputo "OO"

·       King Arthur "Italian Style" flour 

Mixing method:

Use a no-knead mixing method combined with a long cold ferment. The dough rises in the refrigerator after at least 3 to 5 days. This coupled technique produces a delicious dough that demands very little effort. Once you mix up the ingredients, place it in a tightly closed bowl, and allow it to sit for the required time.

Ratio of ingredients

·       All-purpose flour 100%

·       Salt 2%

·       Instant yeast 1.5%

·       Water 65%

New York-style pizza dough

New style pizza dough is larger sized and tough dough with a thin hand-tossed base. It is fired on a slightly cooler coal-burning oven. New York-style pizza dough can be easily stretched out than the Neapolitan crust. The slice of the New York pizza is thick and sturdy yet soft enough. So you can easily fold it without the crack and split.

 This chewy and tender cooked dough has thin layers at the center, which add the flavor and aroma to the pizza. The crust at above 1 to 2 mm is topped with the lightly seasoned tomato sauce and a low moisture mozzarella cheese. This combination at the crust makes the pizza even more savory and tasty. The New York pie has a crust even more golden brown than a Neapolitan pizza.

Its specialty

It takes about 12 to 15 minutes to bake New York pizza. However, during this period, a Neapolitan style dough may crack out. The oil and sugar are the critical, distinctive components of the New York pizza that provide a unique texture and flavour. The oil gathers around the granules of flour, which helps to lower the amount of gluten and hence produces a relatively tender pizza.

Furthermore, the sugar helps the crust to have a brown appearance at the lower temperature.

Flour type

All-purpose flour

Mixing method

You can mix the New York-style pizza dough in a stand mixer or a food processor. I personally like the latter, as the gluten forms rapidly in it. The dough can be baked after allowing it to stand for only 1 day.

Ratios of Ingredients

·       All-purpose or bread flour 100%

·       Sugar 2%

·       Salt 1.5%

·       Instant yeast 1.5%

·       Extra virgin olive oil 5%

·       Water 67%

Sicilian style pizza dough

This is most simple and easy to cook. This bready and focaccia like creation is my fav, especially when guests come over. Within the few hours of starting, this delicious pie is ready to eat. You can easily save your precious time, as preparing it will prevent you from cleaning up the messy counter. You can easily make it within a stand mixer bowl and an oiled sheet tray.

America calls it Sicilian pizza, which is an inch and half thick bready rectangular pie topped with heavy garlic tomato sauce and grated mozzarella. The Sicilian pizza is a real modification of sfinicione – a thinner version of the pizza sprinkled with salty anchovies and pungent pecorino. Grandma Style pies is another thinner variety of Sicilian, covered with garlic loaded tomato sauce.

The basic baking process is similar to the new style of pizza dough. Just ensure to coat the olive oil in the tray before baking; it will make the bottom of the pie ultra-crispy and flavorful.

Ideally, this square pie needs to have a soft, chewy, and malleable crust with a distinctive crisp at the bottom. The end of the crust should be properly browned.

Tip: adding the mesh of boiled potatoes adds a starchy richness and sweetness to the dough. It will not interrupt the gluten formation and will produce the finished product quickly.

Its Specialty

 With the oiliness in the dough, you can still get enough ultra-crispy and flavorful pizza. Within a few hours, you can make the entire pizza that is why it is best for parties.

The other best thing? The high content of water allows the pizza to stretch itself. Once you mix all the ingredients in a stand mixer, make the dough and cover it. After a bit of time, you need to stretch it with hands before adding the toppings and putting it in the oven to bake. 

Flour type

simply need an all-purpose or bread flour.

Mixing method

a stand mixer is the best pick. A food processor is not a good option, as the dough is moist and would end up with gumming. No need of kneading but requires only 8 to 12 hours to rise properly

Ratio of ingredients

·       All-purpose flour 100 %

·       Salt 2%

·       Instant yeast 1.5%

·       Olive oil 3%

·       Water 70%       

Summing up, we have got the details of the recipes of all types of pizza dough. Please choose the best according to your taste and give it a try. Want to know still more? Have a tour of our website and skim our other services.

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