Hydration × flour
70% Hydration Italian Type 00 Flour
Medium cells with some larger bubbles. Noticeable holes appearing. Chewy, moist, balanced.
⚠ Outside Italian Type 00 Flour's typical range (58–68%) — read below for handling
Is 70% hydration right for Italian Type 00 Flour?
Italian Type 00 Flour's workable hydration range is 58–68%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.01× bread flour. 70% is above Italian Type 00 Flour's typical range. The dough will be slack and may not hold shape in a free-form hearth loaf. Either reduce hydration to 68%, or blend Italian Type 00 Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structural support.
Absorption math for Italian Type 00 Flour at 70%
A recipe written for bread flour at 70% hydration, when substituted with 100% Italian Type 00 Flour, becomes 71% effective hydration (because Italian Type 00 Flour absorbs 1% more water). Minimal autolyse (15-20 min) — fine grind hydrates quickly. For Neapolitan pizza: 60-62% hydration, 24-48h cold bulk, short proof, extreme heat bake. For bread: treat like AP or bread flour depending on protein spec.
Technique at 70% hydration
Dough becomes visibly softer and stickier. Use wet hands or bench scraper. Starts requiring more careful handling to avoid degassing. Autolyse 45-60 min helps develop structure.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Italian Type 00 Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 350 g (70%) |
| Salt | 10 g (2%) |
Add your levain on top of these weights; the calculator below subtracts the flour and water it already contributes so the bench numbers land at 70% exactly.
What Italian Type 00 Flour gives you at 70%
At 70% hydration you can expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. A medium dough: three to four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first two hours build the structure, and a light dusting of flour is enough for shaping. It handles predictably.
Italian Type 00 Flour at 70% — FAQ
How much water do I use for Italian Type 00 Flour at 70% hydration?
Multiply the flour weight by 0.7. For a 500 g batch of Italian Type 00 Flour that's 350 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Italian Type 00 Flour absorbs 1.01× as much water as white bread flour, so it behaves close to a straight bread-flour dough.
Is 70% hydration right for Italian Type 00 Flour?
70% is above Italian Type 00 Flour's usual 58–68% range — the dough will be slack and may spread. Reduce toward 68%, or blend Italian Type 00 Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structure.
What crumb will Italian Type 00 Flour at 70% give me?
Expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. Medium cells with some larger bubbles. Noticeable holes appearing. Chewy, moist, balanced.
Is Italian Type 00 Flour at 70% beginner-friendly?
This hydration is rated intermediate. A medium dough: three to four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first two hours build the structure, and a light dusting of flour is enough for shaping. It handles predictably.
Calculator pre-set to 70%
Weights below assume 100% Italian Type 00 Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 300 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 860 g
- Effective hydration
- 70%
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.
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)View on Amazon →
- Dutch oven / combo cookerView on Amazon →
- Banneton proofing basketView on Amazon →
- Bread lameView on Amazon →
- Bench scraperView on Amazon →
- High-protein bread flourView on Amazon →
- Danish dough whiskView on Amazon →
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