Traditional Neapolitan Pizza
Ingredients
For the Dough – 4 Pizzas
- 620 g Italian “00” flour
- 400 ml cold water
- 18 g fine sea salt
- 1 g fresh yeast
or about 0.3 g instant dry yeast
For the Topping
- 400 g San Marzano tomatoes
- 250–300 g fresh mozzarella fior di latte
or buffalo mozzarella
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
Preparation
1. Make the Dough
Pour the water into a large bowl.
Dissolve the salt completely in the water.
Add a small amount of flour and mix.
Add the yeast and continue mixing.
Gradually add the remaining flour while mixing by hand.
Knead the dough for approximately 15–20 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft and elastic.
The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
2. First Fermentation
Shape the dough into one large ball.
Cover it and let it rest at room temperature for approximately 2 hours.
3. Make the Dough Balls
Divide the dough into four portions of approximately 250 g each.
Shape each portion into a smooth, tight ball.
Place the dough balls in a covered container.
Leave them to ferment at room temperature for approximately 8–12 hours.
For extra flavour, you can also cold-ferment them in the refrigerator for 24–48 hours and bring them back to room temperature before baking.
4. Prepare the Tomato Sauce
Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand.
Add a small pinch of salt.
Do not cook the sauce.
Traditional Neapolitan pizza uses a simple raw tomato sauce.
5. Shape the Pizza
Place one dough ball on a lightly floured work surface.
Press gently from the centre outward using your fingertips.
Push the air toward the outer edge to create the characteristic raised crust.
Stretch the dough carefully until it is approximately 30–32 cm wide.
Do not use a rolling pin, because it removes the air from the dough.
6. Add the Toppings
Spread a thin layer of crushed tomato over the dough.
Add pieces of mozzarella.
Add a few fresh basil leaves.
Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Do not overload the pizza with toppings.
7. Bake
For a traditional Neapolitan pizza oven:
Bake at approximately 430–485°C for around 60–90 seconds.
Turn the pizza during baking so that it cooks evenly.
The crust should rise quickly and develop dark, blistered spots.
For a home oven:
Preheat a pizza stone or pizza steel at the highest possible temperature, ideally 250–300°C, for at least 45–60 minutes.
Bake the pizza for approximately 4–7 minutes, depending on your oven.
Traditional Pizza Margherita
The classic Neapolitan Margherita uses only:
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Mozzarella
- Fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
The finished pizza should have a soft, thin centre with a light, airy and slightly charred crust.
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