Brian’s Pizza Dough Recipe
Great pizza starts with the right dough. Brian, our wholesale manager, has spent countless hours developing his special dough recipe and has been kind enough to share his secrets. Featuring Caputo 00 Flour, Brian’s dough provides the perfect canvas for any pizza.
INGREDIENTS
250 grams Caputo 00 Flour (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup cool water
1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
PREPARATION
Dissolve the yeast in warm water with the sugar. In a standing mixer bowl, add the cool water and dissolved yeast.
With the mixer on slow speed, using the paddle blade, add about 1/3 or so of the Caputo 00 flour and mix (increasing the speed) for a minute or two, until a smooth “batter” forms. This helps to develop the gluten in the dough.

Add remaining Caputo 00 flour and salt. Once the dough comes together, switch to a dough hook and use a slow/med speed to kneed the dough for 8-10 minutes.
First Proofing
Form dough into a ball and transfer to a bowl lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and cover with plastic wrap until rested and has slightly grown in size (approx 1.5 hours). Since very little yeast is used, the dough shouldn’t double in size, as is common for bread recipes.
Second Proofing
Remove dough from bowl and portion into two dough balls. Place on floured sheet pan, cover well with plastic wrap and a towel to make a tight seal, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove dough balls from fridge 1.5 hours prior to making pizza. This allows the dough to reach room temperature, making it more workable.
HELPFUL TIPS
An alternative / quicker method is to forgo the 2nd long proof in the fridge and instead proof the dough the 2nd time at room temp (approximately 4 hours) Care must be taken so that the dough balls do not over proof (ie more than double in size). If it appears the dough would be ready too soon, it can simply be put in fridge to slow down the growing dough a bit. The goal is to have the dough “rise” in the oven – and making sure the dough doesn’t “over proof” is key!
The longer (refrigerated) second proofing yields a more favorable crust that tastes less “yeasty” & is definitely worth the extra preparation day.
The sugar simply helps with the browning of the crust in a conventional oven that tops out at about 500 degrees.
Use a baking stone or baking steel. Preheat oven for an hour at the maximum temperature prior making pizzas.
36 comments
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This is the best recipe I’ve tried. Others have come out too chewy or dense but this is perfect. I’ve used it with both blue and purple Caputo…both are fine but the purple yields lighter and more airy crust. Definitely my husband favourite crust that I’ve tried (I’ve tried 5-6 different recipes before this one). He took one bite and said “that’s a keeper”. Comes out good in both my 550 home oven and my high heat pizza oven but it’s better in the higher temp. I love a bubbled, blistered crust. I use only San Mazanos, a little garlic, mozzarella, basil (after baking) and a little olive oil around the crust edge.
I’ve tried several Neopolitan dough recipes and this was the best. So easy to work with…doesnt shrink back at all so easy to stretch and shape. Could use a little more salt. I think I’ll try an extra 1/4 tsp next time.
Tried this recipe and Caputo 00 for the first time. AWESOME! Especially cooked on a pellet grill that does 600 degrees. Great crisp, chew, and a touch of smoke. Caputo 00 makes the difference.
Why is it neccesary to sit the dough after the first proofing?
Do I bake it at 500 degrees?
This is my to go recipe for Neapolitan pizza. I cook it on my Ooni pizza oven that reaches 930 degrees. It is done in less than a minute, and it is crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle of the crust. Thanks so much
Can you freeze the dough once it proofed the first time for later use? If so,what’s the time period to make pizza with it after taking from freezer?
I followed the recipe 100% My end result was a fantastic thin crust, that bubbled beautifully in my oven(500 with standard pizza pan. I used corn meal to coat the hot pan right before I slid the pizza on it). I was skeptical until I started rolling it out an finished with some tosses. I could not be happier with my end result.
Good morning,
Thanks for sharing your very tasty pizza dough method.
After following your recipe using Caputo Blue Flour, can you recommend cooking temp and time using the Kamado Joe Classic oven.
I had my first attempt yesterday baking 4 pizzas for my family, they came out ok but the base was a little Crunchy/Chewey but still very tasty, I used the Pizza stone at approx 500f and baked for approx 12mins. Would you recommend a higher Grill temp and less cooking time etc.
Thank you
Fantastic! I finally get restaurant quality pizza at home!!!
I tried this last night in a regular oven and it came out crispy like a saltine cracker. Kind of heavy and dense.
I made it again it tonight but n a convection oven tonight and came out absolutely perfect! I think that had so much to do with the consistency of the finished product. It was awesome tonight! I will make this my go to recipe going forward. Thank you!
Hello!!! I just did this dough recipe.
It turned out great, but It lacks a little flavor.
Can I put more salt in it?
Can I prepare the Caputo Chef’s flour Tipo ‘00’ in a bread machine. If so, will be recipe be the same.
Followed directions to a tee the crust was dry after second proof but held together when I formed it. crust was tough didn’t rise during the baking. What happened?
I tried the recipe but the dough did not rise in the oven and was tough. What did I do wrong?
The flour is available at Wholefoods
Never heard of this flour …. Where can it be purchased?
Can the caputo 00 pizzeria flour (blue bag) be used in home ovens that reach 500 or is it strictly for commercial ovens? Can it be used for Brian’s Pizza Dough Recipe?
I use the tippo 00 flour that i have sent from Ditalia in St. Louis and after reading your dough recipe,may I ask what yeast to use.
I’m currently using an instant fast rising dry yeast.
Thank You in advance.
Used your recipe tonight with fantastic results.
550 is as high as my oven will go.
Working on a wood burning oven and this is the first dough recipe I will try.
Thanks
been trying several recipes and techniques for pizza dough.
This one is the best I have tried so far, may make some modifications down the road but definitely getting what I’m looking for.
Crisp, blistered crust with a great chew.
What if one doesn’t have a mixer and wants to try this recipe by hand?
I follow exact recipe and bake pie on stone at highest temp in my blue star . Always comes out great. Thank you.
Can you substitute the Caputo gluten free double 00 flour in this recipe?