Italian Food Recipes: Italian Cooking: Pizza Recipe: How To Make Pizza: Neapolitan Style

So what is Neapolitan? Neapolitan refers to a part of Italy known as the city of Naples. It used to be called the kingdom of Naples or the kingdom of the Two Sicilies or the Neopolitan Republics of Italy. In New York City where I am originally from the people of Naples, Italy or the decendants of the people of Naples, Italy are called Nablidons! It’s a New York thing. Deal with it! Neapolitan cuisine goes way back in European history to the period of the Greco-Romans. The food of the Neapolitans was influenced by the various powers that had controlled Naples and it’s outlying kingdoms over time such as the areas of Aragon and France respectively.

Naples at the time was the capital of the kingdom known as Naples and like so many cultures in the world took culinary ideas from it’s neighboors. Many of the culinary attributes you find in Neapolitan cuisine was influenced from the regions of Campania where there was a balance in food between dishes like pasta and seafood. Neapolitan cuisine takes ideas from all around Italy and other countries and incorporates it into their own. Isn’t that what we all do? Of course it is! Generally an authentic Neapolitan pizza or Pizza Napoletana is made just using tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. The tomatoes are San Marzano or any tomato that you wish to use. Fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil is also used to make this type of pizza. So let’s learn how to make pizza a Neapolitan pizza my way. Enjoy the video!

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Neapolitan Pizza Dough

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup luke warm water
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cold water
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp sea salt

To Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl stir the yeast into luke warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the olive oil and the cold water and then stir in a half cup of the flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour, a half cup at ta time, until the dough comes together in a tough mass.
On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until smooth and velvety, about 8-10 minutes. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let it rest 15 minutes.
Divide into 2 equal portions, knead briefly, then roll each portion into a smooth round ball.
Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface and place the balls on it. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Tomato Sauce:
Can be canned pureed tomatoes.
Tomato sauce of any kind.
San Marzanos or plum tomatoes pureed.
I used Pomi Marinara sauce.
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper

To Prepare

With an immersion blender, blitz 10-20 seconds until smooth.

Toppings:

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
2 cups thinly sliced crimini mushrooms.
Some as thin as you can get red onion rings.
1 tsp plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, divided
A pinch of crushed red chili flakes are optional.
2-4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, divided
1 flat of anchovies
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup toasted walnuts roughly chopped.

To Prepare the Pizza:

In a large non-stick pan, saute the mushrooms in 1 tsp of the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat just until the mushrooms are beginning to release their water.

Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil, spinach, salt, pepper, and minced garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 500.

Roll out each ball of dough into a thin disc, app 1/4 inch in thickness onto a baking sheet, pizza sheet, or pizza stone. If using a pizza stone, you can also pre-heat it and slide the finished pizza onto the hot stone. This will make for a crispier crust.

Brush each disc with extra virgin olive oil making sure to cover the entire surface and sprinkle with1/4 tsp of the sea salt and black pepper (about 1/8 of a tsp per pizza)

Spread equal amounts of the spaghetti sauce on each pizza.
Then sprinkle a little bit of mozz cheese ontop of sauce.
Now add spinach and crimini mushrooms.
Add onion rings.
Then add some mozzarella cheese.
Add toasted walnuts.
Then add some gorgonzola.
Then add some Mozz on top of gorgo.
If baking on a heated pizza stone, bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden and cheese is melted.
If baking on a cool surface, bake for 12-15 minutes.
Once cooked add some anchovies on top and serve.
The anchovies are optional.