The Napolità pizza, or “pizza Napoletana,” has been a global phenomenon, spreading like a cyclone over the Mediterranean. Famous all around the globe, Neapolitan pizza hails from Naples, Italy, and is among the most coveted pizza varieties. This essay delves into the exciting world of Neapolitan pizza, covering its long history, traditional training, broad appeal, and recent revival.
The History of Napolità Pizza
People in Naples, Italy, have been making flatbread with simple additions for thousands of years. This is where pizza came from. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba first opened around 1830 and sold pizza with tomato sauce and cheese. Due to the success of this simple dish, Naples saw more pizzerias open.
By the end of the 1800s, pizza had become an important part of life in Naples. People bought it on the streets and ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. People say that the name “Margherita” comes from the fact that Queen Margherita of Savoy insisted on having tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil on her pizza.
Ingredients
The simple combination of key ingredients is what makes the standard Napolita pizza crust work.
Flour:
Tipo 00 flour is a finely ground soft wheat flour with a high starch and gluten content. It is an important part of pizza dough. When you make this choice, the dough is soft and stretchy, and it doesn’t tear when you stretch it slightly. All-purpose flour can be used instead, but the texture might be a little different.
Water:
The flour is mixed with lukewarm water (about 105°F) to make the dough. The amount of water may change depending on things like the type of flour and the humidity. Start by adding about 60 to 70% of the flour’s weight in water. If you need to, add another tablespoon at a time until the dough forms.
Salt:
That’s where salt comes in. It gives the dough taste and controls how much it rises. For every 4 to 5 cups of flour, add 1 to 1 and a half teaspoons of fine sea salt. You could use kosher salt instead, but it might make the food taste a little saltier.
Yeast:
Dry yeast raises dough by converting starch into carbon dioxide. 2, 3 cups flour, 1 gram yeast. Too little yeast might cause a thick crust; keep water cool to protect yeast.
These pieces constitute the base. Some recipes use olive oil to thicken and prevent dough from drying. Let the dough double in a warm place. About one to two hours is enough. Knead briefly. Roll or stretch the dough thin before topping. Bake until crust is golden brown @ 450°F. Pizza from Naples is authentic!
How To Make?
- Warm water, yeast, salt, and flour should all be mixed to make the bread. After kneading it until it’s smooth, let it rise for one to two hours.
- To make the sauce, put crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, and salt in a pot and cook them over low heat.
- To shape and cover the dough, punch it down, knead it for a short time, and roll it out into rounds on a floured surface. Cover the dough with sauce. Then, add cheese and any other toppings you like.
- Put it in the oven at 450°F. Warm up the oven and put a baking stone in it. Carefully move each pizza to the stone one at a time. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown.
- After it has cooled slightly, slice it and savor the authentic Napolità pizza! Satisfy your hunger!
Popularity of Neapolitan Pizza
1. International Appeal
The fame of Neapolitan pizza has spread across countries and become a worldwide phenomenon. There are at least a few pizzerias in every big city, from New York to Tokyo, that serve real Neapolitan pizza. The full-on appeal comes from the use of subtle and unusual features.
2. Certification and Regulation
Italian groups like the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) have put in place strict rules and licensing systems to make sure that only real Napolità pizza is sold. Pizzerias that want to use the “Vera Pizza Napoletana” label must strictly follow rules about what items to use and how to cook them.
3. The Neapolitan Pizza Culture
Napolità is no longer just a feast; it’s a celebration of Italian culture. Many pizzerias take great pride in using tried-and-true methods and making warm, welcoming places where customers can enjoy both the pizza and the long history behind it.
Where to Find Napolità Pizza in the US?
You have to know where to look to find real Napolità pizza in the United States. Others are working on making pies that taste like those from Naples, while others bring the real thing from Naples. These places are some of the best in town to get a Napolitano pizza:
The Top 5 Favorite Napolita Pizzas
Canotto Pizza
This is a more modern take on Italian pizza called canotto. It stands out because the edge is swollen and full of big bubbles. Because the cornicione, or edge, needs to be full of air, the top doesn’t have to be very thick or heavy. At least 70% of the cornicione should be water-filled for it to be puffy.
PizzaVinnese
Viennese pizza seems to be different from traditional Italian pizza because it uses Vienna sausage, which is not usually found in real Italian food. Usually, tomato sauce, Vienna sausage bits, and mozzarella cheese are put on top of the pizza base.
Pizza Carrettiera
It’s an Italian pizza called Pizza Carretera. It normally has tomato sauce, salsiccia, pepperoncini, rapini, and smoked provolone cheese on top. This type of pizza is very popular in Naples. It’s called pizza salsiccia e friarielli, which means “pizza with rapini and sausage on top.”
Pizza Montanara
First, the pizza dough is deep-fried. Next, marinara sauce, cheese, and basil are added. Finally, the pizza is put in the oven to finish. The last step is meant to make the crust light and airy, with a nice crunch, and to give the pizza a slightly toasted, smoky taste.
Pizza Fritta
For the first time, pizza fritta, or fried pizza, was sold on the streets of Naples, Italy. For pizza fritta, a dough that is similar to regular pizza dough is rolled out and given extra time to rise. This makes the dough fluffier and lighter. Inside the dough are layers of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, ham, mushrooms, vegetables, and other standard pizza toppings.
The Tools
To begin, you need the right tools. Most shops that sell things for restaurants should have all of these, and it should be even easier to find them online. What you need is this:
- Oven for pizza – It’s not hard to find an oven for pizza. A big, fancy brick oven isn’t necessary to make a Neapolitan pizza at home. It only needs to be able to reach a very high temperature (750 degrees F or 400 degrees C). This was a great use for our Camp Chef Pizza Oven. If you’re looking for a pizza oven online, all you need to do is find one that gets hot and has good reviews. There are also electric pizza makers that can get pretty hot. Your pizza might not turn out the same, but it will take longer to cook.
- A pizza peel or two will make it easier to put and take out the pizza from the oven. You have to have this to work with a pizza oven. When I put my pizza in the oven, I like to use a wooden one, and when I take it out, I like to use a metal one.
- With a kitchen scale, you can measure things very precisely if you want to make the best pizza.
- Dough Bench Scraper—You don’t need it, but it will make things easier for you. I cut my dough with my dough knife and cleaned up my flour and dough mess with it.
Conclusion
In the end, Napolità pizza, which is more than just a culinary masterpiece, captures the spirit of Naples, Italy. Starting small and now famous all over the world, this cultural phenomenon has and will continue to bring people together through a common interest. UNESCO says it is a cultural prize.
Every bite is a trip into tradition and sincerity, no matter where you eat it: in a pizzeria on the other side of the world or in the busy streets of Naples. For Italians, N-pizza is more than just food; it’s a symbol of their unwavering dedication to traditional norms like cooking with family and using only the best ingredients. Enjoy this cultural icon’s long history.
