My Favorite Neapolitan Pizza Dough with Freshly Milled Flour
This recipe has become a household favorite, and I’ve adapted it to use freshly milled flour after learning all about how different grains absorb water. But don’t worry—this isn’t a science lesson (though if you want to geek out on flour absorption, I’m here for it). We’re going to keep it simple, practical, and most of all, delicious!
Why Freshly Milled Flour?
I’ve experimented a lot in the kitchen, and one thing I’ve learned is that dough doesn’t have to be dense just because you’re using whole grains. Freshly milled hard wheat flour, for example, absorbs around 75-80% of its weight in water—much more than regular bread flour! This keeps your dough moist, soft, and easy to work with, without sacrificing that perfect chewy crust.
So, what’s the takeaway? If you’re using freshly milled flour, just add a bit more water, and you’re golden.
Making the Dough (No Fancy Machines Needed!)
Don’t have a bread machine? No worries! Here’s how you can mix your dough by hand or with a stand mixer:
- Mix by hand or mixer: Start by mixing the dough without salt and yeast. Let it rest for 15 minutes to let the flour hydrate, then mix it again with the salt and yeast.
- Resting time: You can let the dough rise at room temperature until you’re ready to use it, or pop it in the fridge overnight for a more flavorful dough. (Tip: Letting it rest longer makes it even tastier, so don’t rush!)
Got a bread machine? Even easier! Just set it to the dough cycle, mix, rest, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. With the Zojirushi, I like to program one of my homemade settings to Knead for 15 minutes, and just use that. Twice. Once without the salt and the yeast, and the second time with it.
Let’s Talk Toppings!
Here’s where the real fun starts. My current favorite is pesto as a sauce. It’s a hit in my house (my six-year-old isn’t a fan of red sauce), and you can customize it with your favorite nuts, cheeses, and herbs. Today’s pesto was made with walnuts, parmesan, fermented garlic, fresh basil, and some Kasandrino’s extra virgin olive oil—it’s the best I’ve ever used, hands down.
Want to keep it simple? Top your pizza with fresh mozzarella, roll it thinner with a rolling pin so it covers more surface area, and season with dried oregano and fresh marjoram. You can go wild with toppings, or keep it classic—this dough can handle it all.
Beyond Pizza: Endless Possibilities
This dough isn’t just for pizza! Roll it out and turn it into:
- Pizza pockets: Stuff them with cheese, sauce, and pepperoni, or get creative with scrambled eggs, cheese, and veggies for a breakfast version.
- Stromboli: Think of it as pizza rolled into a delicious log. Add your favorite fillings, bake it, and slice it up.
- Calzones: Stuff your dough with ricotta cheese, herbs, and meats for an indulgent meal that’s sure to impress.
The best part? You can save half the dough, store it in the fridge for up to five days, and whip up quick weeknight pizzas or cheesy breadsticks with minimal effort. Simply roll the dough out, brush with garlic butter, sprinkle with herbs and cheese, and bake. Your family will think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen!
Looking to make your own fresh pesto sauce? Check out my YouTube video on that. I make it different every time, though. Today I used walnuts, parmesan and romano cheese, fermented garlic, sea salt and fresh basil.
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Neopolitan Pizza in the Bread Machine
Equipment
- Zojirushi Bread Maker or whatever bread machine you have
Ingredients
- 375 g hard wheat
- 50 g durum wheat (Kamut or hard wheat will also work)
- 325 g cold water
- 10 g sea salt, celtic grey
- 6 g yeast (instant) or proofed active dry yeast
Instructions
- Add flour and water to your bread machine. Knead for 15 minutes.
- Add salt and yeast, and knead for another 15 minutes.
- Let the dough rest until you are ready to use it.
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Roll or press the pizza dough to desired thickness, and top with your favorite sauce), cheese and toppings.
- Bake on a baking stone or sheet pan for 12 minutes, or until your cheese is melted and the crust is golden
- Enjoy!
