Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza. The heritage weighs so heavily that there is even an EU regulation of the “Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana” for the preparation of the traditional “Pizza Napoletana”. According to this regulation, the Neapolitan pizza must be soft, elastic and pliable. For example, a piece of pizza can be folded loosely. The dough is characterized by a low yeast amount and a comparatively long fermentation time. Another special feature is that the pizza is baked at 485 degrees Celsius for 60 – 90 seconds.

The EU regulation is certainly a useful point of reference when you start to prepare a traditional Neapolitan pizza. However, over time you realize that you want to do your “own thing” (at least I did) and adapt the recipe, ingredients and methodology to make the pizza that tastes best to you. Strictly speaking, my recipes may not correspond to the original specifications but could be rather considered as further developments of the Neapolitan style pizza.

Neapolitan Pizza – Standard recipe

For this recipe, a total dough resting time of 48 hours is recommended. So if you want to eat the Neapolitan pizza, for example Saturday evening, you should start Thursday evening already with the dough making.

Ingredients

(for approx. 6 dough balls of 250 gr each)

• 1000 gr flour (preferably a Tipo 00 flour with the highest possible protein content (>12 gr))
• 650 gr water (important: cold, e.g. chill a water bottle in the fridge a few hours before)
• 1 gr fresh yeast
• 30 gr fine salt

Mixing the dough

• Put the water in the bowl and with one hand dissolve the yeast in it.
• Now add the flour gradually and mix with the yeast water. It is best to keep some flour (about 10%) aside so that it can be used later on the work surface.
• When the dough has reached a reasonably firm consistency, add the salt and mix with the dough.
• Then transfer the dough from the bowl to the work surface and continue kneading. If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining flour.
• The total kneading time is 15 – 20 minutes.
• Then shape the dough into an as round as possible dough ball (you can see how in this video). The dough will probably still have a somewhat rough and slightly sticky surface. From the consistency, the dough should spring back slightly when pressed in with a finger.
• To get a smoother surface, cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, shape the dough into a round ball with a smooth surface and then place it in a sealable container.

Resting the dough

• Let the dough rest for 12 hours at room temperature.
• Then place the dough in the fridge for 30 hours.
• Then divide the dough into six portions. Depending on your taste, one portion should weigh 250 – 270 gr.
• Shape each portion into a round ball with a smooth surface (you can see how in this video).
• Put the dough balls in a sealable container and let it rise for 6 – 7 hours at room temperature.

Shaping and topping the pizza

• Prepare a bowl or deep plate with semola (flour will work as well).
• Sprinkle the dough with a little semola (especially on the edges) and take it out of the dough ball box* with a spatula*, put it in the bowl/plate with semola and turn it over.
• Then place the dough ball on the work surface and shape it by hand: if possible, starting from the center, press the air bubbles towards the edge and shape it into a round pizza, leaving a rim. Do not use a rolling pin, as this will destroy the air bubbles.
• Top the pizza.

Baking the pizza

In the pizza oven

• Preheat the pizza oven to 400 degrees at least one hour before baking.
• Carefully pull the pizza onto the pizza peel*. Pull the pizza into a round shape on the peel if necessary.
• Place the pizza in the oven and bake it for about 90 seconds (a little shorter or longer, depending on your own preference and degree of browning).

This is what the finished Neapolitan pizza baked in the pizza oven looks like

In the household oven

This recipe for Neapolitan pizza can be also made in your household oven, of course. You should just be aware that the pizza will not taste and look 100% like a Neapolitan pizza made in a 485 degree wood-fired oven. But you can at least come close and make a still very tasty pizza!

• Preheat the oven at the maximum temperature at least one hour before baking. If you have a pizza stone* or a pizza steel* pre-heat either of them as well.
• Carefully pull the pizza onto the pizza peel*. Pull the pizza into a round shape on the peel if necessary.
• Place the pizza on the pizza stone and bake it for about 7 minutes (a little shorter or longer, depending on your own preference and degree of browning).

This is what the finished Neapolitan pizza baked in the household oven looks like

By the way, you can also watch the following video for step by step instructions on how to recreate this recipe:

Make sure to check out my Youtube channel for more pizza-related videos.

Special doughs for the Neapolitan pizza

You’ve already worked extensively with the standard recipe and are looking for the next challenge? Then try the Neapolitan pizza with a 100% poolish, biga or an autolyse dough. Just click on one of the following pizza recipes to do so:

Biga

Poolish

Autolyse

Thanks for reading! I hope this page with Neapolitan pizza recipes was valuable to you. If you have any unanswered questions, feel free to let me know in the comments. I’d appreciate it if you could share this content with your friends.

Julia