If pizza is a popular food, there are two schools of thought on the matter. On the one hand, there are those who prefer Roman pizza, which usually has a thinner and more crumbly dough and is, above all, very crispy. Cooking time is usually longer because the oven will make the dough as crunchy as possible. It is the most popular pizza in Italy, but it is often the Neapolitan pizza that is most famous.
In France, here are the best pizzerias:
The secret to airy and fluffy pizza
As the name suggests, Neapolitan pizza originated in southern Italy, Naples and is often considered the original form of pizza. Moreover, he is a true spokesman of Neapolitan and Italian gastronomic culture, so that in 2017, UNESCO recognized the “Traditional Art of the Neapolitan Pizza Maker” as an element of World Heritage. The real difference with Roman pizza is in its dough, while Neapolitan pizza is softer, more airy and more moist. Its edges are usually swollen. Here, the cooking time is very fast because the oven has to be heated to a very high temperature to give the crust its crispy and slightly charred side. While there are countless pizza variations today, the traditional Neapolitan pizza consists of San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala (buffalo cheese), olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, and oregano. There are also variations such as margherita (tomato, mozzarella and basil) and marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano and olive oil).
If the allure of pizza is often the simplicity of this dish, it’s not so easy to get a dough worthy of the name. To help us make it a success, Giuseppe Gutrara, the pizza world champion and considered the maestro of Neapolitan pizza, published his recipe in his book “Neapolitan Pizzas” as mentioned by the specialty cooking site 750gr. Nicknamed “Pepe”, the man was first crowned World Pizza Champion in 2019 and then Chef of the World’s Best Pizzeria in 2022.
Photo by Artur Rutkowski on Unsplash
required things:
- 1 kg of flour
- 2 grams of fresh yeast
- 45 kg of water
- 27 grams of salt
- 7 grams of sugar
- 235 ml of water
- 10 grams of olive oil
Product:
Start by mixing in a bowl: flour, salt, fresh yeast and 45cl water before kneading everything for 10 minutes.
Then add salt, sugar, 235ml water and olive oil. Kneading should be vigorous to obtain a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes before rolling.
Then rest under a damp cloth again for 30 minutes.
Divide it into 300g balls before letting it rest in a covered container for another 6 to 8 hours.
If you’re not a chef at heart, know that you can enjoy the best pizza in the world without going to Italy. Pepe opened his pizzeria in early 2020 in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. His pizza “Campione del Manto” (translation, world champion), consists of yellow tomatoes, green ham, provolone (an Italian cheese), mozzarella di bufala, toasted almonds and organic fig jam and is sold for €20. A little treat at an affordable price! Even closer to home, we recently listed the best pizzerias in Belgium according to popularity rankings.
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