Start with the recipe
For a first pizza in a domestic oven, German Type 550 wheat flour is a reasonable starting point. A flour sold specifically for pizza can also work. Match the flour to the water quantity and fermentation schedule in your recipe.
“00” is an Italian flour classification. On its own, it does not tell you how much water the flour absorbs or how long a dough should ferment. Two 00 flours can behave quite differently during kneading.
Use protein as a clue
Gluten-forming proteins help wheat dough stretch and retain gas. The protein figure on the bag offers a useful clue, but does not describe the flour’s full baking performance. Manufacturer guidance is particularly helpful for longer fermentation schedules.
A W value describes flour strength under standardised test conditions. Higher is not automatically better: a very strong flour can feel unnecessarily resistant in a short dough schedule.
Adjust water gradually
Begin with the water quantity in a suitable recipe. If the dough stays excessively sticky and cannot hold its shape, avoid increasing hydration on the next batch. When changing flour, keep the other quantities consistent so that you can identify its effect.
Wholemeal flour behaves differently: bran changes both water absorption and dough structure. Start by replacing a portion of the white flour rather than changing the entire recipe at once.