Pizza Alla Napoletana

I have already praised a lot about Pizza in my previous post "Basic Pizza Dough", so am not repeating it again. In this post, am going to share the recipe of three main variants of an authentic "Pizza Alla Napoletana". Pizza originated from the region of Naples in Italy and it dates back to the 1800's. Later, some Italian migrant went to New York & started his own pizzeria & from then on the Pizza's triumphal journey around the globe started. I read in some magazine that 40 hectares of pizza is consumed every day in the United States..Holly Molly!!

American food joints like Pizza Huts & Dominoes started deking lavishly with a variety of ingredients but when I tasted the true Italian Neapoletan Pizza, it stood apart from these cheap American imitations.

An authentic Neapolitan Pizza must be:

• made of dough that is kneaded by hand.
• its crust must also be formed & flattened by hand & it must be round.
• The dough consists of only flour, yeast, salt, olive oil & water. (you can even skip the oil)
• Maximum diameter of the flattened dough should be of 12".
• It must be baked directly on the stone floor of the pizza oven.

Since we cannot follow all of the above points during home baking, some deviations from the original method is allowed but must lie between good taste & culinary responsibility. :P The Neapolitan Pizza has three main variants. They are: Pizza Margherita, Pizza Marinara & Pizza Neapolitana/ Pizza Romana (In Naples, the pizza is called Romana & in Rome, it is called Napolitana for their own reason)

Pizza Margherita (V)

(toppings - tomato, mozzarella, basil)

• 1 pizza dough (see recipe by clicking here)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for greasing
• a ladle full of tomato & basil sauce (I buy the tomato sauce used for pasta or lasagna)
• 400 gm mozzarella
• salt & pepper to season (can use oregano instead of pepper)
• flour for dusting
• 5-8 basil leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degree Celsius & grease a pizza pan with olive oil.
2. Roll the pizza dough into 10" circles (with your hand) on a floured surface. Make sure that the sides should be thicker than the middle. Place these round pizza dough on to the greased pizza pan.
3. Pour a ladle of tomato & basil sauce in the middle of the dough & spread it everywhere with the ladle in a circular motion. (just how you make a dosa or a crepe) Leave alone the thick sides.
4. Thinly slice the mozzarella & cover the tomato sauce with them. Season with salt & pepper. Drizzle 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil all over the pizza.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Take it out & garnish it with basil leaves & serve immediately.

PS: Can put sliced onions as topping but it is not an authentic Margherita topping.

Pizza Marinara (V)

(toppings - tomato, garlic, oregano)

• 1 pizza dough (see recipe by clicking here)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for greasing
• a ladle full of canned tomato & basil sauce (I buy the tomato sauce used for pasta or lasagna)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic (finally chopped)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• salt & pepper to season
• flour for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degree Celsius & grease a pizza pan with olive oil.
2. Roll the pizza dough into 10" circles (with your hand) on a floured surface. Make sure that the sides should be thicker than the middle. Place these round pizza dough on to the greased pizza pan.
3. Pour a ladle of tomato & basil sauce in the middle of the dough & spread it everywhere with the ladle in a circular motion. (just how you make a dosa or a crepe) Leave alone the thick sides.
4. Season the sauce with the chopped garlic, oregano, salt & pepper. Drizzle 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil all over the pizza.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Take it out & serve immediately.

PS: Can use capers & pitted black olives as topping but it is not an authentic Marinara topping.

Pizza Napoletana / Pizza Romana (NV)

(toppings - tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, oregano)

• 1 pizza dough (see recipe by clicking here)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for greasing
• a ladle full of canned tomato & basil sauce (I buy the tomato sauce used for pasta or lasagna)
• 200 gm mozzarella
• 8-10 tinned anchovies in oil (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• salt & pepper
• flour for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degree Celsius & grease a pizza pan with olive oil.
2. Roll the pizza dough into 10" circles (with your hand) on a floured surface. Make sure that the sides should be thicker than the middle. Place these round pizza dough on to the greased pizza pan.
3. Pour a ladle of tomato & basil sauce in the middle of the dough & spread it everywhere with the ladle in a circular motion. (just how you make a dosa or a crepe) Leave alone the thick sides.
4. Thinly slice the mozzarella & cover the tomato sauce with them.
5. Then put the chopped anchovies all over the pizza & finally season with oregano, salt & pepper. Drizzle 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil all over the pizza.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Take it out & serve immediately.