Frequently Asked Questions About Pizza Dough

That depends on temperature, rise time and yeast type. For an 8-hour rise at 21 °C, it's roughly 0.5% instant yeast relative to the flour weight; for a cold, long fermentation it's noticeably less. The calculator on the homepage works out the exact amount for your numbers.

Instant yeast is mixed directly into the flour, active dry yeast should be dissolved briefly in water first, and fresh yeast (cake/block) needs roughly three times the weight of instant yeast for the same leavening power. All three work well, but differ in amount and handling.

This is usually caused by a hydration level that's too high for the flour you're using. Weaker flours with less protein bind less water. Reduce the hydration or use a stronger flour — more on this in the guide.

Yes. It's best to freeze it in portions right after shaping it into balls, then thaw slowly in the fridge before use and let it come up to room temperature.

For a room-temperature rise, 6–12 hours is typical. With a cold fridge fermentation, 24–72 hours is possible and develops more flavour.

There isn't a single "best" flour — what matters is that the protein content matches the hydration you want. For classic Neapolitan pizza, Italian "00" flour with 11–12.5% protein is often used.

No, it's optional. A room-temperature rise works well and is faster. Cold fermentation develops extra flavour, but it's not a requirement.

The usual range is 1.8–3% of the flour weight, depending on the pizza style. For 1000 g of flour, that's roughly 18–30 g of salt.

Common causes are insufficient gluten development (kneaded too briefly), dough that's too cold, or too little resting time between shaping and stretching. Let the dough come up to temperature enough before shaping.

Preheat the oven with a pizza stone or baking steel for at least 30–45 minutes at its highest setting, bake the pizza near the top of the oven, and top it sparingly so the base doesn't get soggy.