Pizza Dough for Different Styles: Neapolitan, NY, Detroit, Roman

<div class="quick-answer-box"><strong>Quick Answer</strong>Neapolitan: 63% hydration, 250–280g, 900°F. New York: 60% hydration, 300–340g, 550°F. Detroit: 75% hydration, 500–650g, 500°F. Roman al Taglio: 70% hydration, by pan size, 525°F. Each style has distinct dough requirements.</div>

Pizza is not one thing. Neapolitan, New York, Detroit, and Roman al Taglio are four distinct styles with genuinely different dough formulas, shaping techniques, and baking requirements. Making them interchangeable is a common mistake — this guide gives you the exact specifications for each.


Neapolitan Pizza

Neapolitan pizza is the most regulated of the four styles. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) publishes an official specification:

**AVPN-compliant dough formula (per liter of water / ~1.5kg flour):**

- Flour: 1,600–1,800g (soft wheat, Tipo 00)

- Water: 1,000ml (58–65% hydration depending on water mineral content)

- Salt: 40–60g (2.5–3.3% baker's percentage)

- Fresh yeast: 0.1–3g (or IDY equivalent: 0.03–1g)

- Ball weight: 200–280g per pizza

The AVPN spec is a range, not a fixed formula, because Naples has variable humidity and water mineral content. The pizzeria adjusts within the range based on conditions.

**At home:**

- Use 63–65% hydration with Caputo Pizzeria 00 flour

- 270–280g per ball for a 11–12 inch pizza

- 0.1–0.15% IDY for a 48-hour cold ferment

- Bake on a pizza steel at maximum oven temperature with a broiler finish

To calculate exact ingredients for a Neapolitan batch, [use the Neapolitan preset in the dough calculator](/pizza-dough-calculator).

New York-Style Pizza

New York pizza developed from Neapolitan immigrants who adapted their dough for American flour (higher protein) and American ovens (deck ovens, not wood-fired). The result is a larger, thinner, more elastic crust with a satisfying chew.

**Typical NY-style formula:**

- Flour: Bread flour (13–14% protein)

- Hydration: 58–62%

- Salt: 2–2.5%

- IDY: 0.2–0.4%

- Oil: 1–3% (optional, adds flavor and extensibility)

- Sugar: 0.5–1% (optional, aids browning in cooler ovens)

- Ball weight: 300–340g for a 14-inch pie, 360–400g for 16-inch

**At home:**

- Preheat a pizza steel or stone at 550°F for 1 hour

- Stretch to 14–16 inches by hand on a lightly floured surface

- Bake for 8–12 minutes until golden brown with light char on the bottom

New York dough handles a longer cold ferment well. Three days in the fridge at 0.15% IDY produces excellent flavor and very extensible dough. Many NYC pizzerias run 2–3 day cold ferments as standard practice.

[Use the New York preset in the pizza dough calculator](/pizza-dough-calculator) to get precise ingredient amounts for any batch size.

Detroit-Style Pizza

Detroit pizza is baked in rectangular steel pans — historically, the kind used in Detroit automotive factories (really). The dough is pressed into a well-oiled pan, allowed to proof until it fills the pan, then topped in a specific order: cheese first (right to the edges), toppings, sauce on top. The result is a thick, square pizza with a caramelized cheese crust on the sides and bottom.

**Detroit dough formula:**

- Flour: Bread flour or all-purpose

- Hydration: 70–80% (very wet dough)

- Salt: 2–2.5%

- IDY: 0.3–0.5%

- Oil: 3–5% (the pan is also heavily oiled)

- Ball/pan weight: 500–650g for a 9×13 inch pan

The high hydration creates the soft, open crumb and pillowy interior that defines Detroit pizza. At 75% hydration, this is more batter-like than traditional dough — you'll use oiled hands, not bench flour, to handle it.

**At home:**

- Heavy-gauge 9×13 inch steel or aluminum pans work well (the blue steel LloydPans are standard)

- Oil the pan generously with olive oil (3–4 tablespoons)

- Press dough into pan, cover, and proof for 1–2 hours at room temperature

- Bake at 500–525°F for 15–20 minutes

Roman Pizza al Taglio

Roman al Taglio ("by the cut") pizza is baked in large rectangular trays and sold by weight, cut with scissors to order. It has a thick, airy, focaccia-like base with a crisp bottom crust and a soft, open interior. Unlike other styles, al taglio dough benefits from an extremely long fermentation — 24–72 hours at room temperature or even longer cold.

**Roman al Taglio formula:**

- Flour: 00 flour or all-purpose

- Hydration: 70–80%

- Salt: 2–2.5%

- IDY: 0.1–0.2%

- Oil: 2–4%

- Amount: covers a standard half-sheet pan at roughly 600–800g

The key to Roman al Taglio is the stretch-and-fold technique during fermentation (rather than kneading) and the very long, slow rise. The dough is essentially a poured/spread dough — you don't hand-stretch it.

**At home:**

- Use a half-sheet pan, well oiled with olive oil

- Mix the dough, do 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds over 4 hours

- Refrigerate for 24–48 hours

- Temper for 2 hours, then gently stretch into the pan using your fingertips

- Top generously and bake at 500–525°F for 18–22 minutes

Choosing Your Style

| If you want... | Make this |

|---|---|

| Delicate, charred, classic Neapolitan | Neapolitan (with a pizza oven) |

| Foldable, topping-heavy slices | New York |

| Thick, cheesy, caramelized edges | Detroit |

| Airy, soft, sold-by-the-slice party pizza | Roman al Taglio |

For any of these styles, the baker's percentage math is the same. Use the [pizza dough ingredient calculator](/pizza-dough-calculator) to scale any formula to your exact ball count and weight. The Neapolitan, New York, and pan presets will give you starting points.

For a deeper look at Neapolitan vs New York specifically, read our [style comparison guide](/blog/neapolitan-vs-new-york-pizza-dough). And for how flour type affects each style, see the [pizza flour guide](/blog/pizza-dough-flour-guide).