Neapolitan Pizza

5 from 10 votes

We went all the way to Italy to learn the art of making a true Neapolitan pizza. Here we will share with you everything we learned and MORE!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Refrigeration time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Neapolitan Pizza

Servings:

Calories: 430kcal

Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

Pizza Oven
Pizza Peel
Kitchen Scale

Ingredients

Neapolitan Pizza Dough

800 grams flour "00" (Caputo Classico, Chef's, or Pizzeria flour will work great)
500 ml cool water
28 grams fine sea salt
1.5 grams baker's yeast (traditionally you will want 3g of active fresh Brewer's yeast but that is difficult to come by)
corn meal optional and to taste, to prevent pizza from sticking to pizza peel (see notes above)

For The Neapolitan Pizza Sauce and Toppings

1 can (28oz) DOP San Marzano Whole Canned Tomatoes (Pomodori Pelati)
½ teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
parmigiano reggiano grated, to taste
1 pound buffalo mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala) or fresh mozzarella will work fine
fresh basil leaves to taste
olive oil to taste

Instructions

For the Dough:

On a wooden or marble work surface, shape the flour into a large well. Pour water into the center of the well and sprinkle the yeast over the top.
Start mixing the flour into the middle little by little into the water. When the water starts looking a little milky, add the salt.
Continue working the flour into the water until it becomes doughy.
Knead the dough vigorously with your hands for 15-20 minutes, adding a bit of water or flour if necessary, until the dough is soft and smooth. Once you have the right consistency, shape the dough into a ball and cover it with a plastic bowl so the dough is protected from the air (you can also place the dough IN the bowl and cover it with a lightly damp towel or plastic wrap) and allow to rise 4-5 hours at room temperature. For the best results, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cut dough into 5 equal pieces (appx. 250g each) and shape into balls. Place balls in a deep baking dish or pan so they aren't touching and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or a kitchen towel) so the dough balls don't try out. Allow to rise another 4-5 hours at room temperature.
Preheat your pizza oven to 750 degrees F (400 degrees C). Working with one pizza at a time, stretch out pizza dough on a floured surface until about 11-12" in diameter. This may take some practice to get perfect. See notes above.
Rub a little cornmeal and flour or your pizza peel and place the dough over the top of the pizza peel. Working quickly so the dough doesn't stick to the peel, spread on your sauce and add the toppings (see below).
Place your pizza in your preheated pizza oven and bake for 60-90 seconds, turning a few times throughout the process for even heating. When the crust is golden brown with a few dark spots, remove it quickly (see above for more cooking tips).

For The Sauce:

Place tomatoes in a large bowl and crush with your hands, a potato masher, or a potato ricer. Do not use a blender or immersion blender as these can cook your tomatoes. Add olive oil and salt and continue to crush the tomatoes. When tomatoes are fully crushed, you have your perfect pizza sauce!

Nutrition