The Ultimate 24-Hour Italian Pizza Dough
Brian Wolter
4
40 minutes
6 minutes
529
Italian
Dinner
Here is the recipe for the ultimate 24-hour Italian pizza dough, based on authentic Neapolitan principles. The secret to its world-class flavor and structure lies in cold fermentation, a high hydration level, and using very little yeast. This creates a dough that is incredibly light, easily digestible, crispy on the outside, and beautifully airy on the inside with the classic charred crust (cornicione).
⏱️ The 24-Hour Timeline
Day 1, 18:00: Mix and knead the dough (Bulk fermentation in the fridge).
Day 2, 14:00: Shape into dough balls (Second rise at room temperature).
Day 2, 18:00: Stretch, top, and bake.
The prep time and cook time for this 24-hour pizza recipe breakdown as follows:
Prep Time: 24 hours and 40 minutes (Total time elapsed)
Active Hands-on Time: 40 minutes (15 minutes for mixing and autolyse, 15 minutes for kneading, and 10 minutes for dividing and shaping the dough balls).
Inactive Fermentation Time: 24 hours (20 hours of cold fermentation in the fridge, followed by 4 hours of resting at room temperature).
Cook Time: 4 to 6 minutes per pizza (when baked at maximum temperature on a preheated pizza steel in a standard domestic oven).
⏱️ Total Time Investment
From mixing your first ingredients to slicing your first hot pizza, the total time required is approximately 24 hours and 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 580g Italian Tipo 00 flour (ideally with protein content above 11%)
- 400g Chilled water
- 16g Fine salt
- 1g Fast-action dried yeast*
- Extra Tipo 00 or semolina (durum wheat) flour for dusting and shaping.
Instructions
Autolyse and Kneading (Day 1 – 20 mins)
Dissolve the yeast: Stir the yeast into the chilled water in a large mixing bowl.
Incorporate flour: Add about 90% of the flour and mix with a spoon or your hands until no dry flour remains. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes (this autolyse stage naturally develops the gluten network).
Add salt: Sprinkle the salt over the dough along with the remaining 10% of flour.
Knead: Turn the dough onto a clean worktop. Knead for 10–15 minutes. It will be sticky at first, but resist adding extra flour—use a dough scraper to manage it. Knead until the dough becomes completely smooth, elastic, and develops a slight sheen.
Cold Bulk Fermentation (Day 1 – 20 hours)
Shape the dough into one tight, smooth ball
Lightly grease a bowl or plastic container with a drop of olive oil, place the dough inside, and seal completely airtight with a lid or cling film.
Place it straight into the fridge for 18–20 hours. This slow cold ferment develops deep complex flavours without letting the yeast over-activate.
Balling and Room Temperature Rise (Day 2 – 4 hours before baking)
Take the dough out of the fridge. It should have expanded and developed small air bubbles.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions using a digital kitchen scale (approx. 250g each).
Shape into balls: Fold the edges of each portion underneath itself towards the centre, then roll it firmly on the worktop using a cupped hand until you have a smooth, tight ball with a sealed bottom.
Place the dough balls into a proofing box or onto a baking tray spaced well apart. Cover tightly with a lid or cling film.
Leave them at room temperature for 4 hours. This relaxes the gluten, making the dough incredibly easy to stretch.
Stretching (CRITICAL – Never use a rolling pin!)
Generously dust your worktop with semolina or Tipo 00 flour.
Place a dough ball into the flour and dust the top.
Push the air: Using your fingertips, press into the dough starting from the centre and working your way outwards. Stop 1–2 cm before the edge to preserve a thick border. This traps the air in the crust, allowing it to puff up beautifully in the oven.
Flip the dough over, repeat, and then gently stretch it over the backs of your knuckles until it is thin and translucent in the middle.
Baking (As hot as possible)
Preheat your oven to its absolute maximum temperature (ideally 275–300°C, or 400°C+ if using a dedicated pizza oven). Place a pizza steel or 3 cm thick pizza stone on the top shelf. Preheat for at least 45–60 minutes.
Transfer your stretched dough onto a lightly floured pizza peel
Quickly add your tomato sauce, fior di latte (or well-drained mozzarella), and toppings.
Launch the pizza onto the scorching hot steel or stone. In a domestic oven, bake for 4–6 minutes until the crust is golden-brown with dark "leopard spots". In a dedicated pizza oven, it will take just 60–90 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a standard pizza stone?
Yes, you can use a standard pizza stone, but to store enough heat/energy for baking, the pizza stone should be at least 3 cm thick. Alternatively, you can use The Pizza Steel, which can store four times as much heat as a standard pizza stone.
Can I freeze this dough and use it at a later time?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze this dough.
Freezing pizza dough is an excellent way to meal prep, and it still yields a fantastic crust with plenty of flavour. For the best results, you should freeze the dough after it has been divided into individual balls, but before they do their final 4-hour room temperature rise.
How to Freeze the Dough
Follow the recipe until Step 3: Let the large dough ball do its 20-hour cold ferment in the fridge. Divide and shape: Take the dough out, divide it into 4 equal 250g portions, and roll them into tight, smooth balls. Prep for the freezer: Lightly coat each dough ball in a tiny bit of olive oil (this prevents sticking). Place each ball into its own individual freezer-safe zip-lock bag, squeezing out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze: Place them flat in the freezer. They will keep perfectly for up to 3 months
How to Thaw the Dough
To get that world-class texture back, you must let the dough thaw slowly so the gluten relaxes properly. The night before baking: Transfer the frozen dough ball (still in its bag) from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw overnight.
Take the dough out of the fridge 2.5 hours before you need to use it.
Can I substitute some of the flour with wholemeal flour?
Yes, you can substitute part of the flour with wholemeal flour, and it actually adds a wonderful, rustic, nutty flavour to the crust.
However, because wholemeal flour absorbs more water and behaves differently than Tipo 00, you should limit the substitution to a maximum of 15% to 20% of the total flour weight. Going any higher will make the dough heavy, dense, and difficult to stretch without tearing.
Here is how to adjust the recipe to maintain that perfect, airy structure:
⚖️ The Adjusted Ingredients (15% Substitution)
495g Italian Tipo 00 flour (85%)
85g Wholemeal wheat flour (15%)
410g Chilled water (70.5% hydration — increased by 10g because wholemeal absorbs more liquid)
16g Fine salt
1g Fast-action dried yeast
💡 Two Crucial Rules for Wholemeal Pizza Dough
Do not skip the Autolyse step: Wholemeal flour contains sharp bits of bran that can cut your gluten strands like tiny razor blades. Letting the flour and water rest together for 15–20 minutes before adding the salt and kneading allows the bran to fully soften up. Be gentle when stretching: Wholemeal dough has slightly less elasticity. When you press and stretch the dough, take your time and be careful not to push too hard
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