Pizza dough formulas

Style	Hydration	Salt	Yeast (instant)	Character
Neapolitan (VPN)	55–60%	2.5–3%	0.1–0.3%	Soft, charred, thin center
New York	60–65%	2%	0.5–1%	Foldable, chewy
Sicilian / Detroit	70–80%	2%	0.5–1%	Thick, airy, crispy bottom
Focaccia	75–80%	2%	1%	Very airy, dimpled

Cold fermentation

Refrigerating dough for 24–72 hours after a short room-temperature bulk ferment dramatically improves flavor through enzyme and yeast activity at cold temperatures. Use less yeast (0.1–0.3%) and allow 3–5 days in the refrigerator for maximum flavor development.

Dough weight per pizza

10-inch personal: ~200–220 g
12-inch medium: ~250–280 g
16-inch large: ~380–420 g

Flour types and their effect

Flour protein content directly determines dough strength and chew:

Flour type	Protein %	Best for
Tipo 00 (Caputo Blu)	11.5%	Neapolitan; silky, extensible dough
Tipo 00 (Caputo Chef's)	13%	High-heat ovens (Naples wood fire); strong gluten
All-purpose (AP)	10–11%	Home ovens; easier to handle; slightly less chew
Bread flour	12–13%	New York style; more chew and structure
Whole wheat (partial)	13–14%	Blend 10–20% for nutty flavor without compromising rise

Bakers' percentage explained

In baking, all ingredients are expressed as a percentage of the total flour weight. Flour is always 100%. This means if a recipe uses 1,000 g of flour and 600 g of water, the hydration is 60% regardless of batch size. Benefits:

Scale any recipe up or down without recalculating ratios
Compare recipes objectively: 65% hydration is always 65% hydration
Spot errors easily: most pizza doughs fall in 55–80% hydration range

Yeast types and substitution

Type	Water needed?	Conversion from instant
Instant / rapid-rise	No - add dry to flour	1:1 base ratio
Active dry	Activate in warm water first	Use 1.25× the instant amount
Fresh / cake yeast	Crumble into dough	Use 3× the instant amount