Prep Time 15 minutes - Proofing 6 hours - Cooking Time 7 minutes in a conventional oven on 90 seconds in a oven - Makes 4
I’ve been making pizzas for years and I’ve always been trying to improve the recipe. I now finally think I have the perfect recipe for making Neapolitan pizzas at home.
So put that takeaway menu down and grab a bag of flour.
Ingredients
500 g of type 00 flour, like caputo.
7 g sachets of fast action yeast.
1 tsp of salt.
1 tsp of caster sugar.
1 tsp of olive oil.
280 ml of slightly warm water.
Method
First start by pouring the water, yeast, olive oil and sugar in a jug and give it a good mix, leave to stand for 20 minutes, you will see bubbles appear.
In a large bowl mix the flour, salt and make a well in the middle. Now gradually pour in the yeast mix and combine with the flour using a fork. Once all the yeast mix is added you can pour the dough out onto a worktop and knead for 10 minutes. Or you could do this in a good mixer with a dough hook.
Shape the dough in a large ball and place into a large floured bowl. Rub the top of the dough with a little olive oil and cover with clingfilm (this will prevent the dough from getting a crust) then place a tea towel over it or if you have a proofing box place it in that, rub with the oil and put the lid on. Leave in a warm place for anything between 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size shape into individual dough balls, around 200 g each; you should get 4. Rub the dough again with oil and back into the proofing box with a lid or cover with the tea towel. Leave to double in size around 6 hours or longer if possible. While the dough is proofing you may see bubbles appear, this is a good thing and it will smell amazing.
It’s now time to make your pizza. No need for a rolling pin you can hand stretch the dough. Place the dough on a floured worktop and dust the dough with flour. Using your fingers, you want to flatten the centre of the dough working your way to the edge but without flattening the edge. This way you will get a nice crust. Put the dough on both of your knuckles and stretch it by pulling your knuckles apart. Next, pick the dough up and hold it by the edge and turn it like a wheel and it will start to stretch by itself. When you hold the dough up to the light you will see the dough strands that will look like a web, that again is a good sign.
To cook the pizza you ideally want to use a pizza stone but if you don’t have one a pizza tray will work. Preheat your oven to the maximum temperature it will go, with the stone or tray inside for at least one hour. Before putting on your toppings make sure the worktop is well floured so it doesn’t stick to the worktop. Remember when it comes to Neapolitan pizza’s less is more topping wise. A nice sauce, mozzarella then a couple of toppings and finished with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Pop into the oven, it will take around 4-6 minutes and you will see the crust puff up. Or if you have a pizza oven like I do it will only take 90 seconds as the oven gets to 500°.