Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza
This is, without a doubt, the best recipe for pizza dough I’ve ever tried. Chilled flour, ice-cold water, salt, and a small amount of yeast are mixed together and immediately refrigerated in this unique method that draws out the complex flavors locked inside the flour. This delayed fermentation process is arguably the most important, and thankfully, also the easiest, technique in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.
When flour is hydrated, starch is slowly broken down into simpler sugars. Since the dough is kept very cold and immediately refrigerated, the yeast falls asleep and doesn’t snack on these carbohydrates until removed from cold storage. Compared to dough developed using conventional methods, the result is a naturally sweeter dough courtesy of the larger reserve of fermentable sugars.
More carbs for the yeast. More carbs for you. Everybody’s happy. Until the yeast meets its end on a 600ºF baking stone, that is.
The Daring Bakers – Pizza Napoletana Dough
hosted by Rosa’s Yummy Yums
pizza dough recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Pizza Napoletana Margherita
Neapolitan-Style Pizza with Buffalo Milk Mozzarella
For the Pizza Dough:
makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts
Ingredients Volume Ounces Grams bread flour, chilled 4 1/2 cups 20.25 574 sea salt 1 3/4 tsp .44 12 instant yeast 1 tsp .11 3 water, ice cold 1 3/4 cups 14 399
Notes:
- You can also substitute all-purpose or high-gluten flour to replace the bread flour. The ideal flour to use is Italian wheat flour type “00″ (doppio zero).
- Here’s a ridiculously detailed specification sheet for making authentic Pizza Napoletana. Very useful if you happen to have a wood-fired brick oven in your backyard.
Pizza Dough Instructions:
Mix Mix all of the pizza dough ingredients until evenly
incorporated
Knead 6 to 8 minutes
Rest 5 to 15 minutes
Knead 1 minute to further strengthen the gluten
Divide 6 equal pieces
Preshape Shape each piece into a loose ball
In a sealable container, store the dough in the refrigerator at
least overnight, or keep for up to three days.
For the Pizza Margherita Toppings:
approximate amounts for each pizza crust
Because I take homemade pizza way too seriously.
fresh or canned plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, preferably San Marzano varietal
a pinch of sea salt
mozzarella cheese, preferably made with buffalo milk, about 3 to 4 ounces
extra virgin olive oil, about 1 to 2 teaspoons
fresh basil leaves, torn
cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the pizza peel
Notes:
- Pizza Napoletana Margherita is traditionally baked with the basil on top, but I prefer to add the torn leaves immediately after pulling from the oven.
- When dusting the pizza peel, use more cornmeal or semolina flour than you think you’ll need. There’s nothing worse than stuck pizza dough.
To Bake and Assemble Pizza Napoletana Margherita:
Remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2
hours before baking.
Preheat Oven Preheat to the maximum temperature, preferably with a
baking stone. You can also use a heavy gauge sheet pan
that won't warp at high temperatures.
Preshape Preshape the pizza dough into a disk about 4 to 5
inches wide.
Rest About 15 minutes
Shape Toss the pizza dough by bouncing it on your fists,
until about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. It's a bit
harder than it sounds and takes a bit of practice.
The edges will be much thicker than the center.
The Tomatoes In a spiraling motion from the center, apply a thin
layer of tomatoes. Evenly distribute a pinch of sea salt
over the tomatoes.
The Cheese Spread about 3 to 4 ounces of sliced mozzarella over the
tomato sauce. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Shake Before loading the oven, make sure that the pizza
is not stuck to the peel. Shake the pizza loose until
it slides around freely.
Bake Bake until slightly charred on the edges. It takes
about 4 to 5 minutes when baked on a screaming hot
baking stone in my oven. Your mileage may vary.
A bit overdone, maybe? I was kind of going for this look.
Serve Sprinkle with the torn basil leaves and cut into 6 to 8
pieces using a pizza cutter or large knife.
Serve immediately.
Homemade Pizza Napoletana Margherita. Close enough for me.
Similar Posts
October 30th, 2008 at 12:03 am
I love your photos. They look delicious. Fantastic Pizza
October 30th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Beautiful looking pizza, love the photos you have to love 600F ovens and baking stones.
October 30th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I wish my oven went to 600! It stops at 550, but I tried to help it along with the convection fan.
The flavours of this dough are great, aren’t they? I didn’t even know how much I was missing out on. I also love the texture– both tender and crispy. So good!
I love your photos.
October 30th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Hi, your pizza is amazing!
I love the way you put sliced mozzarella on it.
It seems like four-leaf clover.
October 30th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Pizza Margherita is my favorite! Great job – your pizza looks delicious!
October 30th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Love the crust on your pizza – I don’t suppose conventional ovens can achieve this perfection???
October 30th, 2008 at 2:56 am
your pizza looks fab! I love it burnt at the edges actually, just the way you do it
October 30th, 2008 at 3:09 am
When using the right ingredients Pizza Margherita can be heaven. Looking at your pizza and ingredients, this pizza must have been just that.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Very well done! Your pizza looks perfect and really scrumptious! Wow!
Cheers,
Rosa
October 30th, 2008 at 3:42 am
Ooo… I like how you put the mozzarella, beautiful!
October 30th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Jude, Your pizza is awesome!!
October 30th, 2008 at 5:52 am
There’s something so elegant about a margherita pizza — every ingredient must be wonderful, and when it is, there is a perfect harmony.
October 30th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Looks delicious – I love margherita pizza. Using the canned San Marzanos is how I usually make my sauce, as well. Sometimes I’ll heat them slowly on the stove and let them break down a bit, with a little garlic and fresh herbs added. Other times, straight from the can. YUM!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Want. It. Dear lord that crust Jude… Love the simplicity of the toppings too.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:21 am
It doesn’t look overdone to me, it looks perfect. Margherita is ever my favorite.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Beautiful ingredients!!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Heh. Great post! This dough certainly made me feel very happy too
October 30th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Beautiful Margherita! I love the crust!
October 30th, 2008 at 8:33 am
wow, 600 degrees? I wished mine got that high. but the picts are lovely.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:52 am
It is a great method isn’t it? Your pizza looks delightful.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:18 am
660 F!! oh wow! well it did a great job on the pizza look great!
October 30th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Your pizza looks great! But where’s your tossing photo sir? Hmmm? I finally showed my face…
My real question is how the hell do you get your oven that hot? I preheated mine for over an hour and it barely made it to 500. Stupid rental house with its stupid lame oven.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Your pizza looks like the ones we get at our pizzeria that are cooked at 800 degrees. I wish we had liked this dough a little better…
October 30th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Wow, your crust is so gorgeous! I wish my oven got up to 600°!
October 30th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Ah, I knew it! When I saw that you didn’t include the oil, I guessed you were striving for authenticity
Now, on to the fresh yeast, lol. I’ve only ever proofed in the fridge, ever since The Blob incident of ‘07 
October 30th, 2008 at 10:35 am
I knew you would have an amazing pizza. It looks so wonderful. Great, pure ingredients. I will try doing the herbs when I pull it out of the oven, usually I put them on the bottom (under toppings) to protect them from the heat.
I used the oil but then had to increase the flour – PR does not include seperate ratio of flour if using oil – I found that odd. Re the American Pie book – I bought it for this challenge, I already had BBA, but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. Shameful, I know. But you can’t go wrong with PR.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Your pizza looks great! My oven just doesn’t get hot enough to get those lovely charred edges but my dream someday is to build my own pizza oven!
October 30th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Your pizza looks like cheesy perfection!
October 30th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I, too, have moved this dough to the top of my list of favorites. Your step-by-step photos are wonderful, by the way!
October 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Great step-by-step pictures and great looking pizza!
Ulrike from Küchenlatein
October 30th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
That’s a beauty of a margherita! Its one of those things that looks so simple, but done right, is really something
October 30th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Ohh, I love the cheese you used! The best way to top a pizza. I don’t really like to you shredded cheese. Awesome job ;]
October 30th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
WOW! Thats an awesome look. Love the slightly charred crust.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
You have the most beautiful pictures! You pizza looks delicious! Love the educational tid bit too!
October 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Beautiful pizza. Okay, that’s a ringing endorsement for the dough. Have to try this recipe soon.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Great job on your pizzas and such lovely photos as well. I had wanted to use mozarella balls as well but they so so expensive here that I ended up with shredded ones which were much cheaper.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Beautiful-looking pizza you got there, Jude. The pics are awesome, as always.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
It’s so beautiful! Wow, the melting cheese is so appetizing.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Great classic combo! YOur pizza looks rustically delicious!
October 30th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Jude, That crust makes we want to cry tears of joy. Beautiful!
October 31st, 2008 at 12:11 am
Mmmmm…….looks yummy! Great Job!
October 31st, 2008 at 7:03 am
I love the bit of char!
October 31st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
The tutorial is fabulous as is the way you broke down the instruction – good job. You made it really easy to follow. Didn’t you just love this pizza dough – wow – I’m sure many of us will be making it again and again.
November 1st, 2008 at 6:13 am
You actually tossed the pizza into that perfect circle? Wow.
I think your toppings are the best. Truly “less is more”.
November 1st, 2008 at 7:46 am
I love pizza with this topping, your’s is one of my favorites!
It looks so wonderful.
November 1st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
wow! That’s such a wonderful pizza! looks so tempting!
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 am
Ciao Your pizza is wonderful ! mine was too thin in the middle ! And your challah…
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 am
Good concise and informative story. Love that rustic pie-looking pizza!
November 2nd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Great insight on the properties of flour and yeast when combined with other ingredients and allowed to, basically, react the way they should. Your pizza looks like one from an authentic pizzeria with a wood burning stove. Great job!
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:04 am
Beautiful pizza jude. I Love the simplicity of it. It really was the best dough wasn’t it
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Classic and delicious pizza- Yours looks really good, of course. Can’t wait to see what you do with the next challenge!
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Your pizza truly looks authentic! Pizza Martherita is one of my favourites.
Great photos!
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
This really looks like it came from a pizzeria! Yum!
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Jude, your pizza is absolutely perfect! It makes me hungry
November 7th, 2008 at 6:11 am
The basil baked into the pizza does taste really good though, I want to do a sourdough version!
November 10th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
javapot, maybelle’s mom, sweetbird – My oven only goes to 550 but if the preheated baking stone is on the topmost rack and the broiler is on high, it goes over 600. I have an external oven thermometer.
Aparna – It took a lot of stretching.. I cheated
Thanks guys!
November 15th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Pizza looks wonderful.Will try the dough your way next time.
Thanks for dropping by my blog.
November 20th, 2008 at 8:18 am
[...] 20, 2008 · No Comments And finally – drumroll please! The best pizza dough recipe I have found so far. I’m not too sure about the proper tossing method, I had [...]
March 30th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I was looking for an authentic Napoli-style dough, and this is by far the closest approximation i’ve found out there. Made it a few times now and have had differing results based on the flour yeast i used. Surprisingly the non-instant yeast seemed to work better!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Tip, I always have trouble with fresh yeast so I favor instant yeast in bread recipes. Maybe the yeast sold in my local groceries aren’t quite fresh enough.
February 8th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
[...] lots of pizza recipes and Thomas would make it. We cobbled together bits and pieces of different recipes, methods and instructions, and away we [...]
July 20th, 2010 at 7:44 am
[...] bonus: a fantastic pizza dough recipe thrown in! Add to my list of things to try: Pizza Napoletana Margherita (with Mozzarella di [...]
December 2nd, 2010 at 3:50 am
great pics.
looks a bit crackery though
saw reinhart’s full neopolitan recipe with the tips from in his book at
http://pizzarecipes101.com/doughs/best-pizza-dough-recipe.htm
I have read about a guy who tried to duplicate the pizza hut pan pizza. He tried over 30 different times and found the best crust was with a normal room temperature rise.
could be pan pizza is different?
December 18th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Nice sharing of information. A few facts about the flour and its simple sugar content deserve attention to those who are serious. Flour has enzymes that slowly turn starch into simple sugars, so know your flour age. Water hydrates proteins that form chains to form the gluten net, developed during kneading. Accordingly I like to build a biga by adding flour and water to yeast without manipulation (half of each) then after 18-24 hours add the 2nd half of flour and make the dough. Slow proof in fridge is surely the way to go.
Tip: Dump the corn meal for anti friction for forming the pizza on parchment paper (cut a square and put right on stone). You will love the results. If paper starts to burn, pull it out (lifting dough with peel). Also, have a pizzaiolo help you push out a proper round dough. Once you observe it and practice the dough will be perfectly round.
February 17th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
the full directions from the book can be seen at:
http://pizzarecipes101.com/doughs/best-pizza-dough-recipe.htm
May 18th, 2011 at 5:20 am
[...] Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza Recipe … Oct 30, 2008 … Pizza Napoletana Margherita – Neapolitan-Style Pizza Recipe – The best recipe for pizza dough I've … [...]
September 4th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Er du sulten, og har du ikke tid og lyst til selv at lave mad? Så check denne side ud! Her kan du finde navn og adresse på pizzeriaer nær dig.
February 27th, 2012 at 9:54 pm
[...] http://www.applepiepatispate.com/bread/pizza-napoletana-margherita/ Cancel reply [...]
March 7th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
[...] bonus: a fantastic pizza dough recipe thrown in! Add to my list of things to try: Pizza Napoletana Margherita (with Mozzarella di [...]
August 1st, 2012 at 5:54 pm
I also wasn’t able to achieve the amount of heat necessary in order to put seriously consider chasing the perfect pizza. However, that changed when my wife convinced me to pick up an outdoor oven made for baking pizzas. Now with recipes like this and having the fire power to behind me, I’m sure I’m a step closer to nearing the perfect pizza!
September 19th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
I every timе spent my half аn houг to rеad this ωebsite’s content daily along with a cup of coffee.