Authentic Italian pizza from Naples, Italy has been an Italian tradition for hundreds of years.
Pizza itself is a tradition dating back to the Bronze Age, with a simple flatbread topped with olive oil and herbs. Tomatoes were added in the 18th and 19th centuries and the transformation began. Until that time tomatoes were believed to be poisonous.
The poor peasants, of Naples, began using tomatoes on their flatbread and it quickly became a peasant tradition in the area.
Pizza did not spread in popularity to the other classes, however. Many wealthier people were hesitant to try the peasant tradition. It took some brave aristocrats to love it before the popularity of pizza took off.
As with many Italian dishes, the pizza we eat here in America is much different than the pizza you can find in Italy. Authentic Italian pizza from Naples is hard to replicate.
Crust
Unlike the deep dish pizza crust we are used to ordering in America, a true Naples pizza has a flaky, thin crust that packs a lot of flavor. Each crust is made using specialty flour (00) and the perfect combination of yeast and salt. It is then tossed with precision. and the crust is left to sit for ten hours.
After it has risen, it is baked in the wood-fire oven for a few minutes to create the bubbled and delicious crust.
Making a authentic Italian pizza crust is an art. When perfected, it makes all the difference.
From the way it is tossed and thinned, to the type of flour used, everything that goes into the crust is important.
Sauce
The sauce on Italian pizzas in Italy is not cooked. Instead, fresh San Marzano tomatoes are peeled and blanched with olive oil and salt and then added to the pizza.
Simple and delicious.
Cheese
Authentic Italian pizza uses mozzarella made from buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala).
Only high-grade cheese is used as well, which gives the pizza the wonderful texture and taste.
Toppings
Toppings make a difference, and this is where you can have some fun.
Traditional Italian pizza will will be a simple combination of fresh basil, tomatoes and buffalo cheese (making the colors of an italian flag).
If you want to branch out and try different toppings some other options you would find in Italy are artichokes, prosciutto, provolone, sausage, salami, black olives, and of course anchovies.
The options are endless.
you must travel to Naples to get the full authentic Italian pizza experience. In Naples, the standards for true Neapolitan pizza are extremely high.
Making pizzas in Naples is a craft and the Pizzaiolo (pizza craftsman) are important from start to finish. So much so that most Italians don’t even attempt to make pizza at home.
If you have traveled to Naples, where is your favorite place to enjoy an authentic Neapolitan pizza?
