Neapolitan Pizza

 

Thinking making homemade pizza is just a dream? Think Again! Momma Videccia used to say, “You don’t need a fancy pizza oven to outdo the best pizzerias!“ Sure, yeast can be intimidating — like nailing that perfect pastry. But guess what?  It’s totally doable and surprisingly easy! You’ll whip up mouthwatering Neapolitan pizza right in your basic home oven. But you will need a pizza stone.

Let’s be real: whipping up this pizza on a whim isn’t happening without some prep! You’ll need at least 24 hours of dough proofing. If you’re new to pizza-making, go easy on yourself! I suggest baking one pie first to perfect your shape. And don’t forget essential tools—like the right flour, a pizza stone, and a wooden paddle!

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

2 cups + 1 tablespoon, Double Zero "00" Flour 247g if weighing

1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon, lukewarm water 185g if weighing

Homemade Tomato Sauce

1 28 oz. canned whole peeled Romano tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or Oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Homemade Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

1/2 stick butter

2 cloves garlic, grated

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Finishing Touches (optional)

hot honey, grated parmesan, fresh arugula, truffle oil, hot sauce, quality anch dressing

Garlic Butter for Dipping

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or grated garlic for intense garlic flavor

Instructions

No-Knead Pizza Dough

Weigh or carefully measure flour and place it into a mixing bowl. Add salt and whisk to combine then create a well for the liquid ingredients. In a separate small bowl, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar.

Mix to combine then pour into the flour and stir all of the ingredients together. Cover the rough, sticky dough and let it rise at room temperature for 24 hours. It will look a bit dry but will moisten as it rises.

At 24 hours, you can choose to refrigerate the dough for up to six days which will help develop the flavor even more. Or, to cook now, scrape the sticky dough onto a well-floured clean surface using a dough scraper. Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time with sanitized, floured hands, stretch and fold.

Holding onto the dough at both ends, pull one end away from the other, then fold it back onto itself. Repeat on the other side so that all four corners of the dough have been stretched and folded.

Then, pull the ends of the dough toward the middle, turn it over. Use your fingers to pull the dough under itself to make a smooth, round ball with the seams tucked into the bottom, pinching together like a knotted balloon. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Place each ball seam-side down into two separate floured bowls.

Cover the bowls of dough tightly with a fitted lid or cling wrap. Set aside for one hour. Utilize this time to prep your toppings, meats, sauces, and to pre-heat the oven.

Place your pizza stone or pizza steel in the oven on the center rack (at least 8 inches below the top heating element to prevent fire). Pre-heat the oven to 550 degrees and allow it to pre-heat for at least 30-40 minutes before cooking your first pizza.

Working with one piece at a time, transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and dust the top with flour. Use your fingertips to gently depress the surface, being careful not to touch the outer edge of the crust; you want it to remain thick.

Lift the crust and use your knuckles to gently stretch it into a circle about 12″ in diameter, moving your hands to ensure even stretching.

Move it to a well-floured pizza peel or floured sheet of parchment. If you’re using parchment, trim the excess around the dough to prevent it from burning.

It's important to choose a tomato sauce that is not thin and watery. Simmer your sauce on the stove until it has thickened up and excess water has evaporated.

Using the underside of a ladle or large spoon, add a thin layer of sauce and work in a circular motion to spread it around your dough, avoiding those pillowy edges. Add your toppings of choice, layering the cheese. For extra flavor, brush the crust rim with melted garlic butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Use the paddle to slide your pizza onto the heated stone in a pre-heated 550-degree oven.

Cook for 5 minutes, checking to ensure the pizza doesn’t need to be rotated. Continue to cook until the edges have charred, about 6-7 minutes of total cooking time. I found six minutes was the sweet spot!

Optional Sauces

Homemade Pesto: combine all pesto ingredients into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth, drizzling in the olive oil as it blends.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce:

 in a small saucepan, add butter and melt over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and allow to simmer until bubbly and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then the grated parmesan cheese. Stir until thick and set aside to cool.

Homemade Tomato Sauce:

Using a food processor or blender, blend peeled tomatoes until mostly smooth. Pour blended tomatoes into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Add sugar, salt, oregano, and vinegar. Continue to cook on low, reducing to thicken for about 7-8 minutes.

Garlic Butter for Dipping

In a small bowl melt butter and add garlic powder. Stir to combine and serve alongside pizza for crust dipping.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, a bachelor’s in mass communication and cyber-analysis, a master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

Italian Cuisine, Mediterranean, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it yourself