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NY Style Pizza (Sourdough)

Target 62% hydration · baking steel · bake at 550°F

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NY-style pizza uses bread flour (not 00), slightly lower hydration than Neapolitan, includes 2-3% olive oil and 2-3% sugar for a crispier, more structured crust. Larger pies (14-18 inch). Baked at lower temperature (500-550°F) for longer (6-10 min). Typical home oven territory. Cold retard 24-48h for flavor. Topped with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, oregano.

Hydration
62%
Salt
2.50%
Levain
10–15%
Bulk @ 76°F
2.00h
Proof @ 76°F
24.00h
Bake temp
550°F
Bake time
8m
Vessel
baking steel

Flour mix

Technique

Same as Neapolitan but higher hydration and add 2% olive oil + 2% sugar. Bulk 2h, cold retard 24-48h. Stretch to 14-16 inch round. Bake on preheated steel at 550°F for 7-9 min until cheese bubbly and crust golden-brown.

Calculator pre-set to NY Style Pizza (Sourdough)'s target (62%)

Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 58–65% range.

Flour to add
450 g
Water to add
260 g
Salt
10 g
Levain @ 100%
100 g
Total dough
820 g
Effective hydration
62%
How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 60% hydration guide →

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

    View on Amazon →
  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

    View on Amazon →
  • Banneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

    View on Amazon →
  • Bread lame + bench scraper

    A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.

    View on Amazon →
  • High-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

    View on Amazon →
  • Danish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

    View on Amazon →
🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters