Naples Style Pizza Dough Recipes

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• How to make homemade pizza dough
• Place 600 g Tipo 00 flour in a large mixing bowl. Tipo 00 flour has a much higher protein content than our conventional all-purpose flour. We have had good experiences with the Tipo 00 flour "Farina Speciale Per Pizza" and the original Caputo Farina 00. If you do not have tipo 00 flour at home all-purpose flour can be used.
• Provide 2.5 cups (600 ml) of lukewarm water in a measuring cup.
• Add 3 - 5 g brewer's yeast and 30 g salt and stir well with the water in the measuring cup. Alternatively, fresh baker's yeast can be used. In traditional Neapolitan recipes, very little yeast is generally used to obtain a finer taste.
• Pour the water-yeast salt mixture into the mixing bowl and combine with the flour to a dough. For this it is enough to stir with a fork.
• Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and leave for 20 to 30 minutes. This step is very important for a good pizza dough. In the resting period of the dough, first protein chains are formed.
• After the resting period, stir the dough for about 3 minutes with a kitchen mixer with dough hook at the lowest level. If desired, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. According to "Pasta per la pizza numero 328" the dough should be kneaded by hand, but this may also be due to the age of the recipe. Stirred with a kitchen mixer, the dough is in our experience much smoother. However, the mixer should have at least 350 watts of power. Alternatively, of course, a food processor or a Thermomix can be used to stir the dough.
• Gradually add the remaining 400g of flour and continue stirring at the lowest level. The process should take about 5 minutes.
• When all the flour has been absorbed by the dough, stir once more for 2 minutes. This time, however, on the second level of the kitchen mixer.
• Divide the dough into two portions of 800 g and form one ball each. Place the dough balls in two floured mixing bowls and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
• Let the dough rest
• Let the dough rest in a warm room for at least 6 hours. Even better are 24 hours.
• After the resting time use the dough immediatelly or store cool and dark. For example in the refrigerator.
• If necessary, take out 270 g of dough per pizza. The dough should be removed from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before the intended preparation.
• Shape the Pizza dough
• Put flour on a clean work surface. Form the now room warm dough into a ball and press it flat. Form with your hands into a round and thin dough. When doing so, place flour under the dough and press it from the inside to the outside.
• If the dough has a reasonably round shape, it can be lifted up the edge and turned like a steering wheel. By its own weight, the dough pulls almost by itself. By the way, a rolling pin should by no means be used to roll it out, since it takes away the airiness of the dough and the pizza does not rise well in the oven.
• The dough should now be about 12.5 inch (32 cm) in diameter and be very thin. Put plenty of flour on a pizza board or a pizza shovel and pull the dough on top.
• When everything is done correctly, you now have a very large and thin and perfect round pizza. Now it just has to be topped with the desired ingredients.
• Top the homemade Pizza
• As base topping homemade tomato sauce is used. Ideally, the tomato sauce is made from sun-ripened Italian San Marzano tomatoes or at least Roma tomatoes. In Naples, only San Marzano tomatoes from the Agro Nocerino Sarnese growing region are used.
• Spread the tomato sauce evenly with a tablespoon and leave an edge of about 2 centimeters wide. The other ingredients can be chosen freely to taste.
• At the example of the classic Margherita from Naples, it is only topped with the tomato sauce, mozzarella fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.
• How to bake Pizza
• Position the rack in the center of the oven. For the best baking result a pizza stone is needed. Place the stone on the rack and preheat the oven to 570 degrees Fahrenheit (300 degrees Celsius). If the oven supports only lower temperatures use the highest temperature available and use the bake mode setting. Her you can find a deatiled guide for baking pizza at home.
• When the oven has reached the temperature, bake the pizza on the stone for about 5 to 8 minutes. How long it takes to bake depends on your oven and the preheating time. If you use lower temperature or much toppings the baking time increases.

NAPLES-STYLE PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine sugar, olive oil, yeast, and 2 cups cold water in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• Let sit until foamy, about 8-10 minutes.
• Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
• With motor running, slowly add flour mixture.
• Mix until a smooth dough forms, about 8-10 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a greased baking sheet.
• Cover with plastic wrap.
• Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 4 balls.
• Transfer to a greased 9 inch by 13 inch dish.
• Brush tops with olive oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 48 hours. Makes four 12 oz balls.

NEAPOLITAN-STYLE PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250C/500F/Gas 9.
• In a large bowl, place the flour and salt together. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and gradually add to the flour. Mix well until you obtain a dough. If you find the dough too sticky, just add a little flour.
• Shape the dough into a ball and leave to rest covered with a cloth for 5 minutes. After this time, you will find the dough much more pliable to work with. Knead the dough and split into two. Knead each piece for a couple of minutes each and form into balls. Sprinkle some flour on a clean kitchen cloth and place the dough on it covering with a slightly damp cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Place the tomatoes in a bowl and squash them slightly, add salt and pepper and mix well.
• Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and with your fingers spread the dough into a roughly round shape with a border. Make the dough as thin as a pancake but beware not to split the dough. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs on two large flat baking sheets and place the pizza bases on them.
• Spread a little of the tomato evenly over each base - not put too much as the pizza will go soggy. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, add a few basil leaves or sprinkle some oregano and top with pieces of mozzarella cheese. Then add topping of your choice.
• Place in the hot oven for 7 minutes (a couple of minutes longer if you prefer your pizza crispy). Remove from the oven, drizzle with some olive oil and eat immediately - pizzas are not very nice cold or reheated!