🍕 Cold Fermentation Pizza Dough Recipe
👨🍳 Why This Dough Slaps (Let’s Talk Dough Science)
This isn’t your average pizza dough. This cold fermentation pizza dough recipe combines Caputo Nuvola, Pizzeria (Blue), and Saccorosso (Red) to deliver serious structure, elasticity, and flavor. The hydration sits around 72%, which means:
- 🔥 Big oven spring
- 🍞 Delicate, airy crumb
- 🍕 Stretchable, pliable dough with great bottom crisp
It’s designed for high-output service, extended fermentation, and serious performance under pressure — whether you’re running a Gozney, deck oven, or traditional wood-fired beast.
🧂 Ingredients (Service-Ready Batch)
- 3 kg Caputo Pizzeria (Blue)
- 3 kg Caputo Saccorosso (Red)
- 6 kg Caputo Nuvola
- 200 g Fine Salt
- 7 L Ice-Cold Water
- 80–100 g Fresh Yeast (adjust for ambient temp)
- 1,000 g Crushed Ice
- 450 g Olive Oil (split addition)
💧 Hydration: Approx. 72%
🥶 Fermentation Time: 24–72 hours at 2–5°C
🌀 Method
⚙️ 1. Dry Mix First
- In a commercial mixing bowl, combine all flours with salt
- Mix for 5 minutes to fully blend dry ingredients
💧 2. Dissolve the Yeast
- Mix fresh yeast into the cold water until fully dissolved
- Slowly add yeast-water to flour mix while running the mixer
⏱ Mix for 10 minutes — you’re building a base, not full gluten yet.
🫒 3. First Olive Oil Addition
- Drizzle in 200 g olive oil while mixing
- Continue mixing for 3 more minutes
❄️ 4. Chill It Down
- Let dough rest 10 minutes
- Add 1,000 g crushed ice and mix until ice is fully melted in
- Rest for another 5 minutes
🫒 5. Final Olive Oil Emulsification
- Add the remaining 250 g olive oil
- Mix until dough is smooth, glossy, and fully emulsified
Dough should pull clean from the bowl, feel cool to the touch, and pass the “windowpane test.”
🕒 Cold Fermentation
- Divide and ball as needed (or bulk rest)
- Cold ferment at 2–5°C for 24–72 hours
- Dough will double slowly and build deep flavor and extensibility
🧊 Longer = better flavor. 48+ hours gives a nuttier, more digestible dough.
🔥 Chef-to-Chef Tips
- Flour Blend Breakdown:
- Pizzeria brings backbone and classic pizza elasticity
- Saccorosso supports fermentation and gluten strength
- Nuvola adds volume and that airy leopard-spotted crust
- Oil in Two Stages: Splitting the olive oil addition prevents slippage during gluten formation
- Crushed Ice = Controlled Temp: Helps manage internal temp during mixing in warm kitchens
- Handling: Take dough out 2–3 hours before service for best results. It should feel light, airy, and not sticky.
- Bake Hot & Fast: Whether it’s a gas deck, Gozney, or wood-fired oven, this dough thrives at 420–480°C
🧁 Final Thoughts from the Line
This is dough that holds up in the heat, on the line, and under pressure. Whether you’re spinning pies for a 300-cover service or showcasing a single margherita, this recipe delivers flavor, flexibility, and full-on performance.
This isn’t just hydration — it’s hydration with purpose. It’s not just fermentation — it’s flavor engineering.
