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Daily Learnings: Tue, Feb 24, 2026

One may say the eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility. — Albert Einstein

I’ve recently been experimenting more with making Neapolitan pizza dough, using different flour and recipes. I initially focused on pure sourdough recipes, but have been leaning more heavily on the biga pizza dough recipe that I’ve been iterating on.

I initially tried baking with AP flour, but didn’t get a great outcome. I tried strong bread flour, but felt the dough was too elastic. Finally I experimented with Tipo 00 flour and got a MUCH better result in terms of dough extensibility and final crust bake. But I wasn’t really sure why this was the case.

In this journey of pizza making, I’ve had some questions on flour type, protein content, and how it all comes back to the pursuit of the perfect crust (specifically when baking Neapolitan style pizza in a pizza oven).

Does this have anything to do with protein content?

In the US, we categorize flour by protein percentage. In Italy, the “00” designation refers to the extraction rate (how finely the flour is milled and how much bran/germ is removed), not the protein content.

So, from my research, the stretch that I see in videos of others making Neapolitan pizza isn’t necessarily about protein content, but instead about the wheat selected and type of flour.

Types of flour for pizza

All-Purpose Flour: The “Middle Ground”

Using AP flour for pizza often results in a crust that is slightly softer and more “bready.”

• Performance: It can struggle with high-hydration recipes (above 68%), becoming sticky and difficult to handle because it lacks the protein density to soak up the water.
• Result: A thinner, slightly more fragile crumb.

Bread Flour: The “Structural Powerhouse”

• Performance: It handles high hydration easily and produces a very strong gluten net. It is excellent for long cold-fermentations (48–72 hours).
• Result: A chewy, “toothy” crust with a significant rise (cornicione). If over-worked, it can become overly tough or “rubbery.”

Tipo 00 Flour: The “Gold Standard” for Heat

This is where it gets interesting. “00” is designed for heat.

• Performance: Because the bran and germ are completely removed, the flour is pure endosperm. It creates a dough that is incredibly silky and extensible. You can stretch it paper-thin without it tearing.
• Result: A crust that is crisp on the outside but melts in your mouth on the inside (if fermented and baked properly). It lacks the “chew” of bread flour, opting instead for a delicate, airy lightness.

When should I use what type of Flour?

According to my research, the choice of flour is almost entirely dictated by your oven temperature.

This was the most interesting find in my research, and I still need to test it out. I bake pizza almost exclusively in my Ooni pizza oven, but I might have to give a long-ferment bread-flour dough recipe a try in my home’s oven to test this out.

High Heat (800°F - 900°F+) → Use Tipo 00

If you are using a Wood-Fired oven, an Ooni, or a Gozney, use Tipo 00.

• Why? Standard American flours (AP/Bread) often have malted barley flour added to help them brown in low-temp home ovens. In a 900°F oven, those added sugars will scorch and turn bitter before the dough is cooked. “00” is usually unmalted, allowing it to withstand the intense heat while producing those beautiful “leopard spots.”

Home Oven (450°F - 550°F) → Use Bread Flour or AP

If you are baking on a pizza stone or steel in a standard kitchen oven, Bread Flour is actually superior to “00.”

• Why? A home oven takes 8–12 minutes to cook a pizza. Because “00” lacks those malted sugars, it will stay pale and turn dry/crunchy (like a cracker) before it ever browns. Bread flour provides the sugar and protein needed to get a beautiful golden-brown crust at lower temperatures.

The “Artisan” Hybrid → Use a Blend

I haven’t tested this yet, but I’d like to.

According to what I found, many pizzaiolos do a 70/30 or 80/20 mix of Tipo 00 and a high-quality Bread Flour (or even a touch of Whole Wheat) to get the heat resistance of the “00” with the structural integrity and flavor of artisan bread flour.

Pizza Dough & Hydration

Pizza dough usually requires a lower hydration than sourdough bread. While I’m used to 75–80% for a sourdough, artisan loaf, a 60–65% hydration pizza dough is the “sweet spot” for handling and achieving a crisp bottom.

Using Ice Water for the Final Dough Mix

Finally, I had questions about why I would see some folks on YouTube using ice water when mixing their final dough using a stand or electric mixer. Here’s what my research turned up.

The Friction Heat of the Mixer

To properly incorporate a stiff, fermented Biga (usually 45–50% hydration) into the final water and flour, you have to mix much more vigorously than you would for a standard “direct” dough.

• The Problem: High-speed spiral or planetary mixers generate significant friction. This friction transfers heat directly into the dough.
• The Calculation: For every minute of mixing, your dough temperature can rise by 1°F to 2°F. If you mix for 10 minutes, you’ve just swung the temperature by 20 degrees.

The “Point of No Return” (FDT)

In the pizza world, aim for a Finished Dough Temperature (FDT) of 72°F to 77°F (23°C - 25°C).

• Because a 100% biga recipe has already been fermenting on the counter for 16 hours, it is likely sitting at room temperature (around 70°F).
• If you add 70°F water and then mix for 10 minutes, your final dough might come out at 85°F or 90°F.
• The Result: At 90°F, fermentation accelerates aggressively. The dough becomes sticky, the gluten structure begins to relax too quickly, and you lose that window of workability. You essentially “age” your dough by 12 hours in just 10 minutes of mixing.

Protecting the Gluten Network

Using Tipo 00, you are dealing with a flour that is delicate. Overheating the dough during the mix can cause the gluten to “break down” before it even finishes forming. Ice water acts as a thermal buffer, keeping the dough cool and firm while the mixer does the mechanical work of “smashing” the Biga and the fresh flour together.

How this affects the recipe

When you are ready to mix your final dough:

• Break up the Biga: Tear the fermented Biga into small, walnut-sized chunks into the mixer bowl.
• Add the Ice Water first: Pour the ice water over the Biga chunks and let them sit for 5 minutes (or use the paddle attachment to “melt” them into a slurry).
• Add Flour last: If you actually have any other flour to add, that is.
  • This ensures the Biga is fully hydrated and cooled down before the final gluten development begins.

The Bassinage Process

For 100% Biga Neapolitan dough, follow these steps to ensure a smooth, silky final result without overheating.

The Break-Down (The “Slurry”)

• Don’t just throw the Biga in the mixer.
• Tear it up: Break the cold Biga into small pieces (golf ball size) into the mixer bowl.
• Initial Water: Add about 50% of your remaining water (the ice-cold water) to the bowl.
• The Mash: Use the paddle attachment (if using a stand mixer) or a slow speed on a spiral mixer for 2–3 minutes. Your goal is to create a “slurry” or a thick, chunky porridge. This “wakes up” the gluten.

The Final Flour & Salt

• Switch to your dough hook.
• Add any remaining dry flour (if your recipe isn’t 100% prefermented) and your salt.
• Mix on low until the dough comes together into a cohesive, singular mass and starts to clear the sides of the bowl.

The Bassinage (The “Trickle”)

Once the dough has formed a strong “pumpkin” shape around the hook:

• Turn the mixer up one notch (medium-low).
• Add the remaining ice water in very small increments—about a tablespoon at a time.
• Wait for absorption: Do not add more water until the previous splash has been fully absorbed and the dough is “slapping” the sides of the bowl again.

Why this works:

Adding water in small doses creates friction between the dough and the bowl. This friction is what “stretches” the gluten. If you add it all at once, you lose that friction, the dough loses its grip, and the gluten structure actually starts to collapse.

Other Related Topics

References

• Daily Learnings: Sun, Dec 07, 2025