Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Recipe: A Taste of Italy in Your Kitchen
Picture yourself strolling through the streets of Naples, where the irresistible aroma of freshly baked pizza mingles with the lively bustle of the city. It’s right here that the delight with golden edges and a soft crust is born: a culinary tradition that has won over the entire world.
Today, I’ll guide you step by step in creating this gastronomic masterpiece right in your own kitchen. With simple yet carefully chosen ingredients like flour, brewer’s yeast, and peeled tomatoes, you’ll bring to life a dish that encapsulates centuries of history and culture. The soft and elastic dough will become the canvas on which you’ll brush on Mediterranean flavors: fragrant oregano, aromatic garlic, and that drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil that makes every bite shine.
But that’s not all: to make the experience even more authentic, I’ll reveal a little secret – add fresh basil and fiordilatte mozzarella in the final moments of cooking for an unforgettable taste. Get ready to knead true emotions with this timeless recipe!
Recipe Notes
- EASE: Quick to make with only a few ingredients.
- PROS: Authentic Neapolitan flavor.
- CONS: Requires time for the dough to rise.
- PREPARATION: Prepare the dough, let it rise, add toppings, and bake.
- NUTRITIONAL NOTES: Approximately 850 calories per pizza.
Ingredients Notes for the Recipe
- Yeast: essential for making the dough rise
- Flour: crucial for the texture and consistency of the pizza
- Olive oil: adds flavor and crispiness to the pizza crust
- Canned tomatoes: used as a base for the pizza topping
- Oregano and minced garlic: give an authentic flavor to the topping
Nutritional Aspects
Naples-style pizza is not only a dish rich in tradition and flavor, but also offers a range of interesting nutritional benefits. Here are some key points:
- It’s a great source of complex carbohydrates due to the flour.
- Extra virgin olive oil provides healthy monounsaturated fats.
- Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
- It contains plant-based proteins from the brewer’s yeast.
- When made with whole wheat flour, it has low sugar content and is rich in fiber.
- You can enhance it with mozzarella for an added calcium and protein boost.
Traditional Neapolitan Pizza Recipe
Instructions
- Start by working the dough with the palm of your hand on a floured surface until it becomes smooth, elastic, and without lumps.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place (about 20°C) for an hour.
- After the dough has risen, divide it into four equal parts and shape them into disks with a diameter of about 22 cm, making sure to leave the edges slightly thicker.
- Gently press from the center towards the edges to eliminate air bubbles, keeping the outer edge higher.
- Evenly spread the topping prepared with peeled tomatoes, oregano, and minced garlic on the disks, avoiding covering the edges.
Notes
Variations of the Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Recipe
Make your Neapolitan pizza your own with these delicious and authentic variations:
- Add some Parma ham and fresh arugula after baking for a traditional “prosciutto and arugula” pizza.
- Experiment with different types of cheese, like smoked provolone or pecorino, for a unique flavor twist.
- For a vegetarian version, top it with roasted bell peppers, grilled eggplant, or a mix of mushrooms as toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Recipe
If you have any questions about making Neapolitan pizza, here are the answers to the most common questions.
How can I substitute brewer’s yeast?
You can replace brewer’s yeast with sourdough in a 1:1 ratio.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of white flour?
Yes, you can use whole wheat flour, but the dough will be slightly denser.
How can I tell if the dough is ready for rising?
The dough is ready when it becomes smooth, elastic, and free of lumps.
How long should I let the dough rise?
Let the dough rise in a warm place (about 20°C) for about an hour.
How can I bake the pizza if I don’t have a wood-fired oven?
You can use a pizza stone in your home oven to achieve similar results to a wood-fired oven.
