Authentic Neapolitan Pizza
Course: ItalianCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: HardServings
4
servingsPrep time
4
hoursCooking time
40
minutesPizza is quite possibly America’s favorite food. Though few people ever tire of the combination of crust, sauce and cheese, sometimes it is fun to alter the recipe a bit. Pizza dough is a great foundation for all sorts of flavors, both savory and sweet, and one does not have to be a culinary wizard to figure out his or her own customizations.
However, despite pizza’s reliable tastiness, it can be difficult to come up with ways to spruce up a pizza that involve more than just using toppings. Most people who want to add a little flavor or interest to their pizza default to adding vegetables and various meats on top of the cheese. This can result in messy pizza if the cook is not careful, as it can be challenging to get all of the desired flavors on top of the dough in substantial amounts. A sprinkle of chopped peppers here and there would barely be noticeable, but adding more would make the pizza soggy and hard to hold without allowing the toppings to spill out.
A more creative way to make a different kind of pizza is to focus on the crust. The crust is often seen as the vehicle for delicious cheese and spicy sauces, but it can be flavorful in its own right; it can be treated as more than mere bread. Here is an easy way to make an authentic Neapolitan pizza in the true Italian artisanal tradition.
However, despite pizza’s reliable tastiness, it can be difficult to come up with ways to spruce up a pizza that involve more than just using toppings. Most people who want to add a little flavor or interest to their pizza default to adding vegetables and various meats on top of the cheese. This can result in messy pizza if the cook is not careful, as it can be challenging to get all of the desired flavors on top of the dough in substantial amounts. A sprinkle of chopped peppers here and there would barely be noticeable, but adding more would make the pizza soggy and hard to hold without allowing the toppings to spill out.
A more creative way to make a different kind of pizza is to focus on the crust. The crust is often seen as the vehicle for delicious cheese and spicy sauces, but it can be flavorful in its own right; it can be treated as more than mere bread. Here is an easy way to make an authentic Neapolitan pizza in the true Italian artisanal tradition.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of water, slightly warmer than room temperature
7 g (1/4 ounce) of active yeast, or about one prepackaged envelope
olive oil, more or less to taste, with extra for greasing the pan
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
kosher salt to taste, about 1/2 tablespoon
450 g (1 pound) of crushed tomatoes, either fresh or canned (one large can would suffice); San Marzano tomatoes are best
handful of torn basil leaves1 teaspoon of finely crushed oregano
black pepper to taste; freshly crushed is ideal
450 g (1 pound) of fresh sliced mozzarella
Directions
- Combine yeast, oil and warm water in a mixing bowl.
- Slowly add in flour, stirring constantly.
- Once all of the flour has been added, increase mixing to a medium speed and continue mixing for five minutes.
- Roll the dough into a ball and cover with flour. Put it in a large bowl and cover with plastic for 3 hour. Note that the dough will double in volume during this time.
- Preheat oven to 220 C° (450 degrees F) and brush pan with olive oil
- Place the dough on a floured surface and smooth with your fingers until it is the desired size and shape. Cover with plastic for 30 minutes to allow it to settle.
- Place dough on pan, molding it into the correct size.
- Spread crushed tomatoes on top. Add cheese.
- Bake on lower rack for about 10 minutes.
- Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper right before serving.
