This is a recipe for a homemade Neapolitan style pizza. The measurements here can make one pizza, approximately 10-12″. However, I suggest making at least two at a time. 60% hydration dough. The instructions assume a home oven with a max temp of ~525F. If you have a proper pizza oven, which goes higher, then you probably know enough about pizza that you don’t need my advice.
Crust:
Ingredients:
- Olive oil (optional)
- Corn meal
Pizzas: 1 2 4 6 Water 100g 200g 400g 600g Instant Yeast 0.375g 0.75g 1.5g 2.25g Flour 166.6g 333.3g 666.6g 1kg Salt 5g 10g 20g 30g
- 00 Italian flour is preferred, then bread flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and finally bleached all-purpose flour.
- If using Active Dry yeast, increase quantity by 25%, and proof yeast by sprinkling on surface of water that is heated to 100F/38C, with 1tsp sugar/honey dissolved.
Process:
- Combine all ingredients, knead until smooth.
- Place dough ball in a large, (optionally, lightly-oiled) container
- Allow to rise, covered, for at least an hour. Warmth helps.
- Separate dough into the number of servings intended, form into balls. Allow to rise, covered, until doubled in size, preferrably 12-24 hours.
- If a faster rise is desired, use more yeast.
- Optionally, place in the refrigerator until ready to use, for up to a week. Allow four hours at room temperature after taking out of the refrigerator.
- Prepare a cooking surface with corn meal.
- Form crust by pressing from the center out to the sides, pinching the inside edges of the crust.
- Place formed crust onto cooking surface.
Sauce and toppings:
Ingredients:
Pizzas: 1 2 4 6 Tomato 100g 200g 400g 600g Salt To taste Fresh Basil A few leaves Mozarella Cheese 100g 200g 400g 600g
- Non-shredded mozzarella is preferred, cut into roughly 5mm thick squares, slices, or strips. Room temperature.
- Fresh San Marzano tomatoes are best. If this is too expensive, use what you have. If your tomatoes are bland, consider adding a little sugar and/or lemon juice.
Process, oven:
- Hand-crush the tomatos into a smooth paste, add a bit of salt, optionally.
- Preheat oven to up to 525F, or the highest it can go.
- If using a pizza stone or cast iron, heat that as well.
- Pour tomato sauce onto the middle of the dough, spread evenly, leave 1″ clean around outside edge.
- Par-bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Switch oven to Broil, prepare topmost rack
- Distribute parmesan cheese to taste, add basil and mozarrella. Optionally, lightly baste the crust with olive oil for better browning.
- Broil on the top rack until cheese starts to bubble (or brown, for a different flavor.)