The Pizza Series: Pizza Napoletana 🍅

Thin with an airy crust and beautifully charred edges ✨

I LOVE pizza and have been making it at least once a week for the last decade. Over the years, I’ve perfected my recipe through trial and error (and plenty of taste tests with family and friends). Today, I’m excited to share two pizza recipes that I swear by.

This post covers Pizza Napoletana, the classic pizza from Naples. This style of pizza is known for its thin, airy crust with a slightly chewy texture and beautifully charred edges. It requires a long resting time and is best cooked in a pizza oven or on a very hot skillet to achieve that signature Neapolitan flavor and texture. This recipe will give you restaurant-quality results at home.

The second recipe, covered in a separate post, is for Pizza in Teglia—a sheet pan pizza with a crispy bottom and airy interior. It’s easy to make and comes together in just a few hours. If that’s more your style, check out that post!

Both recipes are delicious and good for different occasions. I recommend trying both to see which you prefer!

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Pizza Napoletana

Dough Recipe (Makes 4 Small Pizzas)

Ingredients:

• 400g (3 1/4 cups) 00 flour or All-Purpose (the best flour is Caputo Nuvola)

• 8g (1 1/2 tsp) salt

• 255g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) warm water

• 0.7g (1/4 tsp) yeast

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Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast: Place the yeast into the warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

2. Mix the Dough: Add the flour to the yeast-water mixture and knead until combined—about 10 minutes with a stand mixer or 20 minutes by hand.

3. Incorporate the Salt: Add the salt and continue kneading for another 10-15 minutes (longer if by hand) until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

4. First Rise: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

5. Folding & Refrigeration: Perform a series of folds on the dough to build structure and airiness. To fold, pull each side of the dough gently and tuck it into the bottom, incorporating air as you go. This helps develop the gluten and create a light, airy texture. Then, place the dough in a covered container and refrigerate for 12-16 hours (up to 48 hours for deeper flavor).

6. Room Temperature Rest: Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit, covered, at room temperature for 2 hours.

7. Divide & Ball: Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a ball and use the folding technique to incorporate air into the dough. Place each ball in a covered container and let them rest for another 2-4 hours.

8. Prep Ingredients: Before baking, have your toppings ready—tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, etc.

9. Shape the Dough: Flatten one dough ball at a time, being careful not to press out the outer edge to maintain the crust. This is called the cornicione.

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Cooking Instructions:

If using a pizza oven:

• Top the pizza with sauce, cheese, and toppings.

• Bake in a preheated pizza oven for 1-2 minutes, turning frequently until charred and bubbly.

If using a cast-iron skillet & home oven:

1. Turn on your oven’s broiler on high (every oven is different but my pizza turns out best when the broiler is very hot).

2. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking.

3. Place the dough in the skillet and cover with a lid for 2 minutes.

4. Add tomato sauce, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Check that the bottom is not too cooked and adjust the heat accordingly.

5. Add mozzarella, cover, and cook for 1 minute.

6. Transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler. Broil for 1 minute, rotate, then broil again until the top is charred and bubbly.

Enjoy your homemade Pizza Napoletana and please let me know if you try it!