New York Pizza Recipe

New York pizza is the wide, foldable slice — thin and crisp at the edge, pliable enough in the middle to fold lengthwise and eat on the move, with a chew and structure that Neapolitan's soft center does not have. It is the style built for a home oven and for everyday pizza, because it does not demand 800°F to be good.

The difference from Neapolitan is right there in the ratio. New York uses bread flour rather than 00, for more gluten and a sturdier, chewier crust that holds its shape when you toss it thin and fold it. Hydration sits a little higher at 65%, and there is a small amount of oil (3%) and sugar (1.5%) — additions a purist Neapolitan would never make. The oil makes the crust pliable and helps it crisp, and the sugar feeds browning so the crust colors properly at the lower temperatures a home oven reaches. Salt holds at 2% and the yeast stays low at 0.5% for a slow, flavorful ferment.

The technique that defines great New York pizza is the cold ferment. The classic version rests the dough in the fridge for one to three days, which builds the deep, faintly tangy flavor and the extensible, easy-to-stretch texture that lets you hand-toss a thin, even round. A same-day countertop version is documented for when you want pizza tonight — still very good, just less complex.

Bake it on a stone or steel as hot as the oven runs. Bread flour and a touch of sugar are exactly what let this style brown and crisp at 550°F where a lean Neapolitan dough would come out pale.