The Pizza Pantry: How to Choose Flour, Yeast and Tomatoes for Better Pizza

Great pizza is a short ingredient list done well. Flour, water, salt, yeast, tomatoes, cheese and a few finishing touches. When the list is that short, every item on it matters, and so does having it on the shelf when the dough needs mixing. Here is how we think about building a pizza pantry, whether you run a pizzeria, a food truck, a brewery kitchen or a backyard oven that gets fired every Friday.

1. Match the flour to the oven

Flour is the decision everything else follows. The right choice depends less on style and more on how hot your oven runs and how long the pie stays in it.

• Very hot ovens and short bakes (wood, gas dome, high-heat countertop ovens): Italian tipo 00 pizzeria flour like Caputo Pizzeria 00 is milled for this. It stays soft and blistered instead of turning crackery in a 60 to 90 second bake.
• Deck ovens and home ovens (longer bakes, lower heat): a higher-protein flour browns better and gives the chew people expect from a New York slice. King Arthur Lancelot high gluten flour is the classic pizzeria workhorse here.
• Dusting and texture: semolina and fine yellow cornmeal keep dough sliding off the peel and add a little crunch to the base.

Many shops blend: a 00 for softness with a share of high gluten flour for strength. Test small batches before you commit a whole menu to a change.

2. Pick a yeast and stay consistent

Yeast is the smallest line on the recipe and the easiest place to introduce inconsistency. Pick one form and build your timing around it.

• SAF Red instant yeast is the standard for lean doughs like pizza. It goes straight into the flour with no blooming.
• Fresh yeast is what many traditional pizzaioli still use. It is lively and forgiving, but it is perishable and ships refrigerated.
• Red Star active dry yeast works well when you prefer to bloom yeast in water first.
• SAF Gold instant yeast is built for sweet and enriched doughs, so keep it for the garlic knots and dessert pies rather than the base dough.

Whatever you choose, cold fermentation is where the flavor comes from. A 24 to 72 hour rest in the walk-in or fridge builds a deeper, slightly tangy crust and makes dough easier to open. It also lets you mix once and bake for days, which is a real labor saving in a busy kitchen.

3. Build the sauce from tomatoes, not jars

The best pizza sauces are barely cooked, if at all. Start with a tomato you like the taste of straight from the can, then season it lightly and let the oven finish the job.

• DOP San Marzano tomatoes with basil for a sweet, low-acid Neapolitan style sauce. Crush by hand or pass through a food mill.
• Whole peeled tomatoes with basil and 70-40 tomato filets when you want texture and a bright, fresh flavor.
• Crushed tomatoes and tomato puree for a smooth, consistent New York style sauce, with tomato paste to tighten it if your tomatoes run thin.
• Prefer to start from a finished base? San Benito pizza sauce is ready to go straight onto the dough.

Season with kosher salt, whole oregano crushed between your palms, basil and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. That is the whole sauce.

4. Cheese and toppings that hold up in a hot oven

Low-moisture shredded mozzarella gives you even melt and that classic stretch. Finish with shredded parmesan for a salty, nutty edge. For a white pie, crumble a little feta over garlic and oil.

Toppings that come from a jar or can are often better than fresh on pizza, because they are already seasoned and won't water out the pie:

• Calabrian chiles for fruity, building heat
• Castelvetrano, Kalamata and sliced black olives
• Anchovy fillets, white boquerones and non pareil capers for briny pies
• Sun-dried tomatoes and rehydrated dried porcini for deep, savory flavor

5. The finish is your signature

The last ten seconds after the pie leaves the oven are where a good pizza becomes yours. A drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of Maldon sea salt on the crust, crushed red pepper on the table, a few drops of white truffle oil on a mushroom pie, or wildflower honey warmed with Calabrian chiles for a house hot honey.

Stock it once, bake all season

Everything above ships from our warehouse in retail and bulk sizes, and you can find it all in one place along with dough tools, pizza bases and pizza cookbooks. For the step by step dough and sauce, read our 48-hour cold-ferment pizza dough recipe.