Neapolitan pizza

Flour, water, salt yeast and a hot wood oven. This is how the very first pizzas were made, and this is how they are still made today in Naples.

The best Neapolitan pizza should have a large, beautiful crust, slightly crisp and covered with small dark spots (leopard) caused by extreme heat. The center of the pizza should be thin and above all fluffy and have only a few delicious toppings combined with a light touch of smoke from the wood oven.

Go check out our pizza dough calculator to bake the perfect pizza dough for your Neapolitan pizza.

Recette de pizza Napolitaine

Thepizzashop.ca Neapolitan pizza

- Proofing at room temperature (min 6 – max 18 hours) or cold fermentation (min 8 – max 72 hours)
- Oven temperature: 400 – 550 ° C / 750 – 1020 ℉.
- Cooking time: 60 to 90 sec.
Prep Time 3 days
Cook Time 2 minutes

Instructions
 

  •  In a large bowl: Weigh the flour and salt, then mix.
  • In a second bowl: Weigh the water (lukewarm) and the yeast then mix.
  • Activate / test the yeast: We recommend testing the yeast by adding about 1/4 teaspoon of white sugar. Mix lightly. After a few minutes, the yeast should rise to the surface creating a foam, which means the yeast is healthy. If, after 10 min, the yeast has not foamed, discard the water and the yeast and repeat step 3 with new yeast.
  • Put the contents of the 2 bowls in the same container to mix it.
  • Using a food processor and its dough hook, mix the ingredients of the 2 bowls for 10 min at medium / high intensity.
    ** PRO TIP: Start the mixture on low intensity, until the ingredients form a dough start (to avoid damage).
  • After ten minutes in a blender: cover the work table with a little flour and then knead the dough for about 5 more minutes.
  • CAUTION: At this time, we are looking for a smooth, bump-free and malleable dough. If the dough does not work well, tears easily, sticks too much to the hands, still contains several small bumps and does not seem to smooth, leave the ball of dough to rest between 5-10 min then resume kneading. You may need to rest your ball for a few minutes a second time.
  • When your ball is smooth, without rough bumps, it is the start of the 1st fermentation. To do this, in a large clean container with or without a lid, cover the ball of dough, as well as the bottom and walls of the container with olive oil to prevent the dough from drying or sticking to the container.
    ** PRO TIP: The container must be large enough, because the ball will hang from the expansion up to 2 times its current size.
  • Put the dough in the container and cover with the lid or with a clean cloth. Let the dough swell for 2 hours.
  • After 2 hours, divide the ball into several small dough balls (depending on the weight you selected during the previous calculation).
  • You are now ready to start the 2nd fermentation. To do so, you have 2 choices: fast fermentation or slow fermentation.
    Fast fermentation: fermentation which takes place at room temperature. The time of the 2nd fermentation is between 4-18h. This type of fermentation is perfect for a dough consumed the same day.
    Slow fermentation: fermentation that takes place in the refrigerator. The time of the 2nd fermentation is between 8h and 72h.
    ** PRO TIP: This type of fermentation is the most interesting. It allows you to develop the most taste and makes the most of the quality of the dough. The dough will also be easier to stretch.
    IMPORTANT: Before stretching the dough to cook it, the dough must be at room temperature, it should take about 2 hours for the dough to become room temperature.
    ** PRO TIP: Room temperature of around 20 degrees Celcius, if it is too hot, the dough will swell too quickly and will have the effect of breaking when it is stretched, in addition to less developing its taste.
  • IMPORTANT: Preheat the oven and the baking sheet. For a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-45 min at maximum temperature, as well as the baking sheet that will be placed at the top of the oven. For an OONI or WPPO type pizza oven, preheat the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour and stretch the dough to form a round pizza.
    ** PRO TIP: Try not to crush the sides of the pasta in order to leave 1 cm thick which will form the crust. Also try not to stretch the middle too much so as not to create holes.
  • BEFORE putting the ingredients, place the dough on a pizza peel OR on parchment paper (which you will remove 15 sec after putting the dough in the oven). Lightly sprinkle the surface to prevent the paste from sticking. Add the ingredients quickly and avoid leaving the dough on the surface for too long. Put its ingredients.
    ** PRO TIP: avoid putting too much sauce. We all tend to put too much. Spread the sauce, trying to put enough, but while being able to “see through”.
  • Cook the Neapolitan style pizza at maximum temperature for about 90 sec.
    In a conventional oven: Put on “Broil” and carefully monitor the cooking without taking your eyes off the pizza. Cooking should take 90 sec to 120 sec. It could also be that cooking takes a little longer, depending on your oven.
    In an OONI or WPPO type pizza oven, place the pizza and turn it every 25-20 sec. Never take your eyes off the pizza and make sure that the whole pizza is cooked as well.
  • ENJOY and share your result on Instagram with the mention @lapizzashop.ca!
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