Neapolitan pizza
Hmmm… until reaching Naples, two years ago, I had tasted Neapolitan pizza in Sicily and I had gotten hooked on it... but I had the best pizza of my life in Pozzuoli, 20 km away from the capital of Campania.
The simplicity and the freshness of the ingredients are, eventually, the elements that make a good pizza fantastic. I am a true classic in this respect!
I searched, I read, I adapted and this is how a Neapolitan pizza is made, without too-complicated kitchen devices and tools.
For 3 large pizzas, you will need:
420g flour
250ml water
1g fresh yeast
10g salt
+olive oil
+semolina
+tomato purée
+3 mozzarella balls
+fresh basil
To start, mix the water and 220g of flour for 2 minutes. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, at room temperature. This will be the base of our pizza.
Half an hour later, add the yeast and knead well, by slowly adding the remaining flour. When the flour is absorbed (in order not to deactivate the yeast), add the salt. Continue to knead. When the dough feels elastic and fine, place it in a plastic film and let it sit for 2 hours at room temperature.
When the dough rises, take it out on a mat and then divide it into three equal pieces. Like shown in the picture, roll the dough, stick its ends and cover with the dough edges. You will get three dough balls. Place them in the fridge, in bowls with lids. This way, the yeast will work slowly but the taste obtained will be fantastic.
After at least 5-6 hours in the fridge, take out the dough and bake the pizza (the dough balls keep for 3 days, so there’s no need to bake all of them on the first day... and you’ll notice that the last dough ball will taste best).
Oil the pizza pan, sprinkle semolina (this makes the dough fluffier). Add olive oil onto the dough and spread the dough over the pizza pan; then, pour tomato purée on top of it and bake in the preheated oven, at 220°C, for 4 minutes and a half.
Take the pizza out, place the mozzarella slices on it and bake for 3 minutes more.
When it’s done, sprinkle fresh basil leaves over it. Let it cool for a minute and cut yourself a slice.
How does it taste? J
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