Neapolitan Pizza Dough in a Sunmix Spiral Mixer (68% Hydration)
Quick answer: Real Neapolitan dough is simple — just flour, water, salt, and a small amount of yeast, mixed slowly to a smooth, extensible dough, then given a long room-temperature rise. A spiral mixer like the Sunmix EVO6 or EASY6 handles the 68% hydration easily on low speed, without overheating the dough the way a fast stand mixer can.
Ingredients (for 4 pizzas, ~250g each)
| Ingredient | Amount | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| 00 flour (or bread flour) | 600g | 100% |
| Water | 408g | 68% |
| Salt | 18g | 3% |
| Fresh yeast (or 1g instant) | 3g | 0.5% |
Method
- Dissolve the yeast in most of the water.
- Mix. Add the flour and yeast-water to the mixer bowl. Start on the lowest speed and mix until the flour is fully hydrated and the dough starts to come together.
- Add salt and remaining water gradually. Add the salt, then stream in the rest of the water slowly, letting it absorb before adding more. This is the step a spiral mixer handles far better than a stand mixer — it keeps developing the dough instead of just splashing the water around the bowl.
- Develop fully. Keep mixing on low until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the bowl — usually 15–20 minutes total for this hydration.
- Bulk rest. Let the dough rest in a covered container for 1–2 hours at room temperature.
- Divide and ball. Divide into 250g portions and shape into tight, smooth balls.
- Proof. Let the balls proof at room temperature for 6–8 hours (or longer, cold, in the fridge) until soft, airy, and roughly doubled.
- Stretch and bake. Stretch by hand (never a rolling pin — it knocks out the air you just spent hours building). Bake as hot as your oven allows, ideally 800–900°F on a pizza steel or in a dedicated pizza oven, for 60–90 seconds.
Watch It Made
This video from Graziani_Homemade — an Italian pizza enthusiast who runs a home pizza-making channel — shows 68% hydration Neapolitan dough mixed start to finish on a Sunmix spiral mixer:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use a spiral mixer for Neapolitan pizza dough?
Neapolitan dough is mixed slowly and for longer than most doughs, specifically to build strength without overheating it. A spiral mixer's gentle, low-speed action is well matched to this — it develops gluten steadily without the friction heat a fast planetary mixer generates.
What hydration is authentic Neapolitan pizza dough?
Traditional recipes typically run 58–65% hydration, though many home and small-shop versions push to 68–70% for a more open, airy crumb. This recipe uses 68%.
Why is my Neapolitan dough tearing when I stretch it?
Usually under-developed gluten or under-proofed dough. Give the dough its full mixing time on low speed, and don't rush the room-temperature proof — the dough should feel soft and puffy, not tight, before you stretch it.
Can I make Neapolitan dough in a small Sunmix mixer?
Yes — the EVO6 or EASY6 (up to 13 lb capacity) comfortably handles a 4–6 pizza home batch. Larger volume calls for a Top Line or Classic Line mixer.
Questions About Your Sunmix?
Talk with CulinaryProfis about model fit, batch size, or getting the most out of your mixer — culinaryprofis.com | (914) 278-1007
