The Perfect Neapolitan Pizza

In Italy a society; Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana makes the rules when it comes to every aspect of the Naples pizza and they describe the rules of a Naples pizza in extreme technical detail here this is a great read if you are a pizza nerd and it details the exact procedure to cook a perfect Napoletana pizza.

In summary only these four ingredients can be used to make the dough:

  • Flour

  • Water

  • Salt

  • Yeast

A recipe I have used many times uses the following ratios and make 2 pizza bases:

  • 450g 00 flour

  • 300ml cold tap water (at about 11 degress max)

  • 3g fresh brewer’s yeast (or half that for dried)

  • 9g salt

Tips

  • It is important to give the 15 minutes for the yeast to bloom, if you do not give it the full 15 minutes the dough will be like conrete.

  • I made 2 double batches of this (1.8 KG of flour) which gave me 9 pizza bases

  • I used 1 large ceramic bowl and 1 plastic bowl, the plastic mixing bowl did not rise as nicely as the ceramic one so I try and always use ceramic

  • You can freeze each ball individually in sealable plastic bags

  • Brush olive oil around the outside to get crispy outside (if desired)

Method

Prepare

  1. In a large ceramic bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold tap water wait 15 minutes

  2. mix in about two-thirds of the flour with a big spoon until a creamy consistency is formed.

  3. Mix in the salt, and then the remaining flour a little bit at a time. Continue to mix until all the flour has been absorbed.

Kneeding

  1. Knead energetically with your hands by folding the dough and pushing it inwards. When the dough is smooth and no longer has lumps, let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

  2. Dust the dough with flour, place it on a table and then give it a few folds, forming it into a spherical shape until it’s firm and elastic.

Proofing

  1. Place dough inside an oiled baking tin and cover, and then allow it to rest and rise for 7-8 hours at room temperature.

  2. Place dough onto a round sheet pan that’s been lightly greased with olive oil, and lightly press it with your fingertips until the classical, flat-and-round pizza shape is formed (or into a square if using a square-shaped pan). It should be no more than 3mm thick. Cover and let rest for another 3 hours.

Cooking

  1. Add tomatoes (or tomato puree) as desired onto the flattened dough

  2. Put pizza on the base of the oven, baking at 250-280°C for 5-6 minutes.

  3. Move pizza to the top rack of the oven and bake for another 6-8 minutes

  4. Add mozzarella (if using) only in the last 3-4 minutes. Other ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil and basil should be added at the end of cooking.

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