Pizza is one of the world's favorite dishes and comes in various forms. However, true napolità pizza stands out as being unique; its roots lie in Naples. Characterized by fresh ingredients baked in a wood-fired oven to produce both crispy edges and soft centers, and typically topped with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, true Napolità pizza is an ideal light yet flavorful meal option to satisfy your hunger!
Napolità pizza is traditionally created from dough made of double zero (00) flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh mozz cheese, baked at high temperatures for 90 seconds to produce an airy and puffy crust.
Traditional pizza made by those from Sicily is usually composed of San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala cheese, and fresh basil leaves - sometimes even using wood-fired ovens - making it one of the world's favorite treats, receiving recognition by UNESCO and becoming part of its cultural heritage.
Napolità cuisine has long been characterized by a blend of Greek, Roman, and later influences; these traditions combine to produce an array of tantalizing dishes and recipes from appetizers to desserts.
What Is Napolità Cuisine?
Napolitàs will tell you the only place for authentic Napolità food is at their mother's house, but what if you don't? Here are a few places in Naples where you can indulge in home-cooked goodness.
Naples' history as an important port city has allowed it to absorb new ingredients and culinary traditions from all corners of Italy and beyond, creating a diverse cuisine that beautifully blends ancient influences such as those brought by Greek and Roman civilizations with more recent immigrant arrivals from all across Italy.
Historical accounts detail how many of the region's dishes were originally developed by hardy peasants who worked the land and sea, resulting in hearty cuisine using simple ingredients that might otherwise have been overlooked by ruling classes. Today, many of these classic recipes remain, like spaghetti alla puttanesca (with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies), eggplant parmigiana and the delicious meat ragu served at family meals across the nation.
Utilizing local ingredients is another hallmark of Napolità cuisine, from its fresh seafood caught off of Naples Bay to ripe San Marzano tomatoes and spicy pepperoncino peppers - each is uniquely representative of this style of cooking.
Naples street foods are an exemplary demonstration of its open and adaptable culinary tradition, most famously the Tarallo (fried bread). Tarallo was originally made with leftover pieces of bread dough that couldn't be thrown away, combined with pepper and lard, and has become an essential staple throughout the Naples landscape.
Pizza
Pizza Napolità is one of the world's best-known Italian pizza styles and can be found throughout Naples. The authentic Napolità style consists of a thin-crust pie that puffs up and becomes crispy at some points; then it is topped with simple ingredients such as mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil; and finally drizzled with olive oil as a finishing touch. It differs significantly from New York-style, Californian, or Chicago pizza as well as other Italian styles.
Pizza's origin can be traced back to poor neighborhoods of Naples during the 1700's. Although flatbread had existed before that, it never featured tomatoes and cheese - now considered essential ingredients of pizza. Tomatoes had originally come to Europe via Peruvian explorers but it wasn't until poor peasants in Naples began topping their flatbread with these exotic fruits that pizza became mainstream.
An authentic Napolità pizza involves an elaborate preparation process that includes selecting ingredients, preparing the dough, and cooking. Usually made of flour of type 0 or 00 flour combined with water, salt, and yeast; hand-kneaded using only fingertips instead of a rolling pin; allowed to rise for two hours then formed into an 11" disc by manipulating by hand into an even thickness no greater than three millimeters before shaping into final form for cooking.
Napolità pizza is known for its fresh ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes and fior di latte mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella from Campania regions, finished off with extra virgin olive oil drizzles of the highest quality extra virgin olive oil - creating a light and refreshing meal!
Each ingredient's flavors stand out, creating an exquisite balance. Due to this meticulous approach to gathering, and preparing dough preparation, and the cooking process - true Napolità pizza should be experienced during any visit to Naples Italy!
Pasta
Napolità cuisine is perfect for pizza and pasta enthusiasts, offering bold flavors with every bite that will bring back memories of Naples. Try this quick and easy napoli sauce (aka salsa di pomodoro alla napoletana, Napoletana sauce, or marinara) over spaghetti or with more creative pasta options like spinach-ricotta cannelloni, stuffed ravioli, or tortellini for an exciting meal!
This versatile sauce pairs beautifully with any vegetable on hand -- such as grated carrots, sliced mushrooms, fresh spinach, or even zoodles! Make sure you save some of your pasta cooking water, as its starch helps form an emulsion and adds umami flavor to the sauce.
What Is Napolità Pizza?
Napolità pizza, created in Naples, Italy, features an extremely simple yet clear set of ingredients: San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella (known as fior di latte in Italy), fresh basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil are some of the mainstays.
Napolità pizzas of the highest quality are handcrafted using handpicked, top-grade ingredients and expertly tossed by hand. Their sauce complements rather than dominates other flavors on the pizza for a delectably light and crispy bite!
At the core of any Napolità pizza is its dough. An ideal dough should be soft yet elastic enough to be stretched thin without losing its air bubbles; furthermore, its flavor profile should evoke memories of sweet bread dough!
Pizza should be baked in a wood-fired oven using ingredients of the highest quality and freshness and cut to look as appealing as possible while preserving its integrity.
Pizza has a rich and exciting history in Italy, and we know and enjoy today's version as invented in Naples in the 1700s. At first, people were topping flatbreads with tomatoes - although not in their characteristic circular shape like today's pizza!
Raffaele Esposito is widely recognized for creating the first true pizza in 1889 and calling it Margherita after Queen Margherita of Savoy (now part of France, Italy, and Switzerland). He used mozzarella, basil, and San Marzano tomatoes in its creation - producing this timeless icon.
The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) is an organization dedicated to upholding the artisan traditions of true Napolitàn pizza. Their requirements for restaurants seeking certification include strict specifications regarding ingredients (for instance pureeing tomato sauce with only tomato and salt); this ensures its natural acidity is highlighted.
The history of Pizza begins in the 16th century when early explorers introduced tomatoes from Peru back to Europe. At first, most people disapproved of this strange new vegetable; however, poor Naples residents did not allow this opportunity to pass them by street vendors in Naples began placing tomatoes onto flatbreads as they sold pizza - thus beginning its long culinary legacy that spans across centuries and continents.
Today's modern Napolità pizza has specific criteria in terms of ingredients, size, construction of dough, and baking method in a wood-fired brick oven. To be considered authentic Napolità pie must meet these specifications to achieve its authentic taste and texture; specifically using natural yeast rather than commercial yeast in making its dough so light and fluffy. This long fermentation period also helps contribute to this effect.
Napolità pizza's signature taste and texture come from its hand-tossed baking process, in which each pizza slice is individually spread out across an even surface with plenty of air bubbles dotted throughout it. This signature technique differentiates it from other pizza styles like Chicago deep-dish or Detroit square pan.
An authentic Napolità pizza requires minimal toppings, yet each ingredient must be of exceptional quality for its success. Tomato sauce must be fresh while mozzarella must be all-natural without added water or fat; basil and extra virgin olive oil add additional flavors that are sure to please pizza enthusiasts everywhere.
How To Make Napolità Pizza at Home?
No doubt about it: creating Napolità pizza is a labor of love and requires more than just simple ingredients. Perfecting its craft has taken hundreds of years in Naples; not just because people enjoy eating it so much but because this form has specific requirements for its ingredients, size, construction, and dough requirements.
First popularized during the 16th century when early explorers brought back tomatoes from Peru for cultivation on European farms; quickly adopted as a food staple throughout Italy by its people after its invention!
Since then pizza has become one of the world's favorite dishes while remaining uniquely Italian thanks to its traditions as well as chefs' skill and precision in creating its unique form.
To create authentic Naples pizza, you will require certain equipment. First and foremost is finding double zero "00" flour - specifically designed to give pizza dough its light airy texture without becoming overly doughy. This flour can be found at specialty Italian markets as well as Amazon. You will also require fresh yeast as well as a pizza peel (a flat piece of steel that slides into your oven to allow your pie to slide off easily).
Napolità pizza requires that its dough be created entirely by hand - without the aid of mixers or rolling pins. After being kneaded and manipulated by hand, it must rise for up to 8 hours before it can be stretched, topped, and finished quickly in a wood-burning oven resulting in soft yet sweet and tender bites with crunchy but not overly thick crust that holds its shape perfectly.
Moreover, Napolità pizza features the classic toppings: mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes from Naples (where the volcano that destroyed Pompeii once stood) combined with some fresh basil leaves for garnish. While this may be traditional, many cooks and chefs can add various kinds of toppings based on their creativity; just remember not to overdo it as this will overwhelm its delicate crust! Adding creamy toppings such as ricotta or stracciatella adds a nice creamy element, however, dollops should only be added post-oven.
The Dough
True Napolità pizza dough is composed of just three components - water, yeast, and flour - which are hand-kneaded and left to rise for several hours before shaping into rounds for topping with fresh basil, mozzarella, or buffalo mozzarella, raw San Marzano tomatoes purees.
Prep the dough either in a large bowl or using a mixer with the paddle attachment. Pour 700ml of lukewarm water into your mixing vessel and add 10g of sea salt before activating the yeast. Begin mixing at low speed, gradually adding in remaining flour until your desired dough consistency has been reached (which should take roughly 10 minutes with an electric stand mixer equipped with a dough hook).
Once your dough has been mixed, place it onto a floured work surface or use your mixer's hook to knead for approximately 20 minutes. At this stage, using quality flour such as 00 bread flour is key if you want an elastic yet softer crust.
Furthermore, once your dough has been kneaded, it is important to perform several stretches and folds to further develop its elasticity and make it more resistant to high oven temperatures. To do so, place the dough on a counter, and slap both ends of it against the top bench edge firmly before repeating this step two more times until its length halves.
The Sauce
Napolità pizza uses a tomato-based sauce known as salsa di pomodoro alla Napoletana in Italy or Napoletana sauce in the US. Although commonly referred to as marinara sauce, this term doesn't quite do justice as there is so much more going on behind its name than just being called that.
Simmer garlic and onion over medium/high heat until onions become translucent, approximately 10-15 minutes. Add canned whole San Marzano tomatoes (with juice); break apart and stir regularly over med/high heat until reduced by around 15-20 minutes, about 15-20 minutes more after which add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, then reduce to simmer for 1 hour on a lower temperature setting before stirring in fresh basil before serving.
This no-fuss Napolità sauce recipe is quick and delicious! Perfect as the foundation for heartier pasta dishes such as spinach-ricotta cannelloni or tortellini with cheese filling, as well as zoodles (zucchini noodles). For even more heartiness, stir sauteed mushrooms, capsicums, and ham into the simmering sauce while it cooks; stir in fresh herbs such as parsley basil or oregano while simmering to add an aromatic boost!
Napolità Pizza Recipes
Napolità pizza first gained popularity during the 1880s when a baker created a pie for King Umberto I and Queen Margherita that combined mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil to represent the colors of Italy's flag. This simple pie became an instant success, becoming one of Italy's most beloved styles today.
Napolità style pizza typically utilizes 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella (often buffalo milk or sometimes cow's milk) with San Marzano tomatoes on top. Modern pizza lovers have many choices when it comes to ingredients and toppings while Napolità-style pizza has kept its classic simplicity so each ingredient's flavors can stand out while also avoiding overcrowded toppings on one pizza pie.
To create authentic Napolità pizza, the dough must first be prepared either by hand or low-speed mixer and left to proof for eight hours or more before being stretched and prepared with at least a three-millimeter thickness before quickly baking in a wood-burning oven for 60 to 90 seconds before being decorated with fresh basil and drizzles of olive oil for serving.
Making an authentic Napolità pizza requires using quality ingredients and an authentic wood-fired oven like those used during the 1600s and 1800s, to provide authentic flavor as well as high temperatures necessary to give the classic charring on the bottom. In addition, using high-quality tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese are key factors.
Finally, find a reliable pizza maker who uses both ingredients along with proper baking techniques; though if this is unavailable it is still possible to create acceptable Napolità pizza using conventional ovens at home.
Authentic Napolità Pizza
Napolità pizza is more than the sum of its parts; it also involves the skillful craftsmanship of its makers. Perfected over hundreds of years in Naples, its style has now been declared an intangible cultural heritage item by Italy. There are specific requirements regarding dough composition, toppings, oven heat, and cooking style which set this special pizza apart.
Napolità pizza requires the dough to be made using high amounts of water and be hand-kneaded by both hand and machine; its crust must measure 3mm maximum thickness before baking in a wood-fired oven for just 90 seconds. Toppings should also focus on quality ingredients: tomatoes from San Marzano must be pureed before being mixed with either fior di latte or mozzarella di bufala cheese made with milk from water buffalo raised in Campania or Lazio marshlands in Italy and finished off with drizzles of olive oil and fresh basil for garnish.
Pizzaioli at authentic Napolità restaurants have been trained for years to craft these artisan pizzas with care and passion, reflecting their dedication and taking great pride in what they create. Their commitment shows through in their work; taking extra steps to ensure each pizza meets quality ingredients while adhering to proper technique and standards.
Pizzaioli may attend schools in Naples for additional specialized training as required, in addition to having to submit proof of training and ingredients to Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN), an organization responsible for verifying restaurants are using authentic methods and ingredients when creating Napolità-style pizzas.
Motorino in New York City offers authentic Napolitàn pizza that won't leave you wanting more. Operated by Italian chef Laurent Tourondel - who holds his certification as a pizzaioli - Motorino provides quality authentic Napolità-style pies that leave customers satisfied and craving more. Their team takes great pride in serving genuine pizza from Italy; as evidenced by numerous accolades received from top food publications for this culinary creation. They pay close attention to detail with each pizza they craft and this results in delicious results that leave customers wanting more!
