There’s something truly magical about a perfectly executed Neapolitan pizza, and the key to its perfection lies in the dough. This authentic Italian recipe ensures that you can achieve the unmistakable taste and texture of Neapolitan pizza in the comfort of your own home. It’s proof that simple things can simply be perfect, and that counts in cooking too. Even if you don’t have a pizza oven at home, believe me, this pizza will work for you and you’ll be really excited about its taste and great dough!
Recipe
Ingredients in this recipe
For the Dough
- 3 1/2 cups (500 g) 00 Italian flour
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast
For the Neapolitan Pizza
- San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
- Fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Step-by-step instructions
- Mix lukewarm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes until foamy and active.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and pour the prepared yeast mixture into it.
- Gradually add flour to the liquid and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough with your hands on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic; this is the basis of success.
- Place the prepared dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour. It should double in volume.
- Turn on and preheat the oven to the highest temperature possible, ideally around 500 °F (260 °C), with a pizza stone inside if available. If not, that’s okay.
- Divide the risen dough into individual portions the size of a pizza.
- On a floured surface, stretch and shape each portion of dough into a round disk, ensuring a thin center and slightly thicker edges.
- Place the shaped dough on a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet sprinkled with flour.
- Spread a thin layer of crushed San Marzano tomatoes over the dough, leaving a free edge for the crust.
- Spread torn pieces of mozzarella evenly over the tomatoes, add fresh basil leaves, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
- If using a pizza stone, carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated stone in the oven. If not, put the prepared pizza tray in the oven.
- Bake the pizza for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. But it should correspond to a maximum of 10 minutes, no longer.
- Take the finished Neapolitan pizza out of the oven, let it cool for a while, cut it, and serve it warm immediately.
Convince yourself that there is beauty in simple things and recipes. Italian recipes usually fulfill this perfectly, and that’s why they are so popular all over the world, until someone starts spoiling them unnecessarily with extra things. Indulge in the authentic flavors of Neapolitan pizza with this classic Italian recipe, and let me know how this pizza turned out and how happy you are with this great dough. I succeed every time, and the Neapolitan pizza tastes great even when I don’t use a pizza stone.
