Neapolitan pizza: tips and tricks for making it at home

Few genuine ingredients to give life to the symbolic dish of Italy. We are talking about Neapolitan pizza in its original version!

Neapolitan pizza is a real institution not only in Italy but also throughout the world to the point of having been nominated as a World Heritage Site after it was recognized in 2010 as a guaranteed traditional specialty by the European Community.

Its birth dates back to 1700 and therefore has a very ancient history , but it is only from the 1900s that pizzerias left the Neapolitan city and spread throughout Italy. For a pizza to be considered Neapolitan, it must respect very specific characteristics : the crust must be 1-2 cm high, soft and without bubbles, while the dough in the center must not exceed 4 mm, it must be cooked in a wood oven and hand.

The Neapolitan pizza dough is made up of a few simple ingredients : flour, water, salt and brewer's yeast. Nothing more and nothing less. Let's find out together how to prepare it!

How to make Neapolitan pizza

You can knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. In the first case it will take a little more time, but the result is guaranteed.

1. Put the salt and water in the bowl of the planetary mixer and mix so that it dissolves. Then add the yeast and about 10% of the flour , mixing well with a spoon.
2. Now operate the machine at medium speed and pour in the remaining flour , leaving it to work for about ten minutes until the dough is well strung.
3. At this point, transfer to the work surface and give it the shape of a loaf . Put in a bowl to rise in the oven off with the light on for two hours .
4. Now take the dough again, divide it into four loaves of equal weight and put them back to rise for 4 hours .
5. After the second leavening it's time to roll out the dough , rigorously with the fingertips of your hands. You will have to press lightly, starting from the center and pushing the dough outwards so as to create a disc of about 30 cm in diameter with a one centimeter ledge.
6. Season with tomato sauce and mozzarella and bake at 250°C for 5 minutes . The ideal would be to use the wood oven, brought to 400°C and cook for two minutes. Serve the pizza hot, completing with fresh basil.

If you liked the Neapolitan pizza recipe, discover the video of the preparation.

Which flour to use for Neapolitan pizza?

Among the recommended flours for the Neapolitan pizza dough there is certainly medium-strength 00 flour, the one that according to the tradition of Campania is the best for obtaining the desired result.

Can Neapolitan pizza rise in the fridge?

Yes, Neapolitan pizza – as well as other doughs – can be made after letting the dough rest in the refrigerator.

storage

This pizza is to be enjoyed as soon as it is ready, nice hot and steaming right out of the oven. If you have a few slices left over, you can keep them in the refrigerator for a day, well covered in transparent film. We do not recommend freezing it in the freezer.

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