How To Make Authentic Neapolitan Pizza At Home – A Flavourful Tradition

When you’re settling down for a few quiet evenings in, nothing is nicer than knowing you have something lovely planned for supper. Although making pizza from scratch might sound daunting, I promise that this recipe will make laborious feel like light work. If you were looking for quick and easy Friday night meals, this post covers that ambition, but if you’re up for the very rewarding challenge of learning how to make authentic Neapolitan pizza at home, read on!

What is authentic Neapolitan pizza? I’m sure there are experts out there who can offer more technical explanations but for me, it’s best characterised by the authentic provenance of the ingredients (more on that below in the recipe), and the unique almost chewy and blistered dough.

I assure you that once you’ve made it once at home, you’ll find it hard to enjoy a takeaway pizza (or a frozen one!) again. The only consideration I feel I need to say upfront is that for this to work well, you need to be prepared to let the dough enjoy slow proving (up to 48 hours is best), and let your oven get as hot as it will go. Beyond those two points, the rest is smooth sailing. Here’s how to do it.

Ingredients For Neapolitan Pizza Dough

This makes enough dough for four 10-inch pizzas, perfect for a family dinner or dinner party with friends.

• Italian 00 flour (500g): If a recipe had a VIP ingredient, for Neapolitan pizza this would be it. Caputo is the brand most professional pizzerias like Pizza Pilgrims use, and fortunately you can now find it in larger supermarkets or online. Plain flour won’t create the same airy texture, so don’t be tempted to substitute.
• Lukewarm water (300ml): Tap water is absolutely fine, just leave it out for 10 minutes before you intend to use it.
• Sea salt (12g): A fine sea salt works well, as does kosher salt here.
• Yeast (2g instant dried yeast): You don’t need more than this as the long prove will naturally do most of the work.

Ingredients For The Topping

The most authentic pizza from Naples is the iconic Margherita. Fortunately, it’s also the simplest.

Here’s what you need:

• San Marzano tomatoes: Tinned whole plum tomatoes from the Campania region. Check that you see ‘DOP’ on the tin as this really is important, and make sure you secure whole plums over chopped. Crush these by hand in a bowl to create your passata base.
• Fior di Latte mozzarella: This is cow’s milk mozzarella from southern Italy. If you can’t find Fior di Latte, try buffalo mozzarella instead which is slightly more decadent. Drain it well and tear it into chunks for a rustic finish.
• Fresh basil leaves: Pop these on the pizza only once it has come out of the oven as the extremely high heat will incinerate them.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Perfect as an extra drizzle on top before serving. If you’re partial to a bit of spice, you can use chilli oil to dress your pizza instead.
• Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper: Add a pinch to the tomato sauce, or however
  much you like.

How To Make The Dough

1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the 00 flour with the salt. In a separate jug, stir the yeast into the lukewarm water until it dissolves entirely. Then, slowly pour the water into the flour, mixing all the while with your hands or a wooden spoon until it comes together to form a rough dough.
2. Knead: On a lightly floured surface (use the 00 flour again for this dusting), knead the dough for about 10 minutes. You will know when it’s ready when the dough feels smooth and elastic. To test, press it with your finger and see if it springs back, as that shows you the gluten is activated and the dough is ready to prove.
3. The first prove: Place the dough back into a now 00-flour dusted bowl, cover with a clean damp tea towel, and leave it at room temperature for around 2 hours.
4. Divide and shape: Once you can see that it’s doubled in size, tip the dough out gently and divide it into four equal balls. If you want to be exact, these will weigh roughly 200g each but don’t worry too much as it won’t be important later on. Place the balls on a lightly floured tray with space between each one, and cover again with your damp tea towel as you are now ready for the second prove.
5. Second prove: With this, you have two options. Traditional dough-makers recommend a slow prove of 48 hours in a cold fridge but if you don't have the time, 24 hours will do. Make sure the dough is kept in the fridge for the whole second prove, as this slower fermentation helps develop flavour and makes the dough easier to handle. When you’re
   ready to go, bring it back to room temperature for an hour so your pizzas cook evenly.

How To Cook The Pizza

1. Get your oven as hot as possible: Proper pizzerias use ovens that reach 450°C, but for most of us, around 250°C will be possible. Using a pizza stone or pizza steel will provide an even better result. Rest it in a preheating oven for at least 45 minutes before you’re ready to cook your pizza.
2. Stretch the dough: Take one dough ball and use your fingertips to press the air from the centre out to the edges, leaving a thicker rim around the outside. Stretch it (gently!) until it’s 10 inches wide. Don’t use a rolling pin as this hand-stretched method is what gives Neapolitan pizza its lovely airy crust.
3. Top the pizza: Place the stretched dough on a floured pizza peel or a piece of baking paper. Spread a few tablespoons of the crushed San Marzano tomatoes over the base,
   leaving the rim clear. Add a pinch of seasoning to the sauce. Scatter the torn Fior di Latte mozzarella over the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil (or chilli oil if you like heat).
4. Cook: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or steel. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is blistered and golden and the cheese is bubbling. If your oven has a grill function, turn it on for the last minute or two to get those proper Neapolitan-style blisters on the crust.
5. Finish and serve: Take the pizza out, scatter fresh basil leaves on top, drizzle with another touch of olive oil, and serve immediately. Hot pizza really shouldn’t wait!

Where to try the real thing

Homemade pizza is wonderful, but there is something special about eating a proper Neapolitan pizza made by someone who has been perfecting the craft for years. If you ever find yourself looking for pizza in Manchester, Pizza Pilgrims on Deansgate is well worth a visit. They also run pizza masterclasses on the top floor where you can make your own under a pro’s eye, which would be a brilliant follow-up if you enjoy the home version.