Tipo 00 Flour
An Italian-standard, ultra-finely milled wheat flour prized for creating crispy, blistered Neapolitan pizza crusts.
1 Cup Tipo 00 Flour = 116g (4.1 oz) • 1 Cup Sifted = 105g
Tipo 00 flour (often called double-zero flour) is the gold standard for Italian pizza and pasta making. The '00' refers to the Italian grading system for flour extraction, indicating that it is the most finely milled flour available, resembling baby powder. Milled from durum or soft wheat varieties, Tipo 00 typically has a protein content of 11% to 12.5%. While this protein level is similar to all-purpose flour, the quality of the gluten is different: it is selected for high elasticity and strength. This allows pizza makers to stretch dough incredibly thin without tearing, yielding a crust that is crispy on the outside, airy and chewy on the inside, and beautifully charred when baked.
Because of its fine grind, Tipo 00 absorbs water quickly and produces exceptionally smooth doughs. It is optimized for high-heat cooking environments, such as wood-fired ovens reaching temperatures of 900°F (480°C). In a standard home oven, Tipo 00 may not brown as well as standard American flours because it contains no malted barley flour (which provides sugars for browning at lower temperatures).
Using Tipo 00 flour in a home oven baked pizza at low temperatures (below 450°F/230°C). The crust will remain pale, dry, and tough because the flour requires intense wood-fired heat to blister and brown properly.
Imports from Italy (like Caputo brand) are standard. Standard American all-purpose or bread flour can be used as alternatives in home ovens.
Best for Neapolitan-style pizza doughs, fresh pasta sheets, and flatbreads cooked in high-heat outdoor ovens.
Replace 1 cup Tipo 00 flour with 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour (note: the crust may be slightly heavier).
Keep in a cool, dry pantry in an airtight container for up to 6 months to maintain freshness.