Neapolitan pizza


Neapolitan pizza also known as Naples-style pizza, is a style of pizza made with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. It must be made with either San Marzano tomatoes or Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio, which grow on the volcanic plains to the south of Mount Vesuvius, and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, a protected designation of origin cheese made with the milk from water buffalo raised in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio in a semi-wild state, or “Fior di Latte di Agerola”, a cow milk mozzarella made exclusively in the Agerola comune. Neapolitan pizza is a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed product in Europe, and the art of its making is included on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. This style of pizza gave rise to the New York-style pizza that was first made by Italian immigrants to the United States in the early 20th century.

Recipe

According to the rules proposed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of wheat flour, natural Neapolitan yeast or brewer's yeast, salt and water. For proper results, strong flour with high protein content must be used. The dough must be kneaded by hand or with a low-speed mixer. After the rising process, the dough must be formed by hand without the help of a rolling pin or other machine, and may be no more than thick. The pizza must be baked for 60–90 seconds in a wood-fired oven. When cooked, it should be soft, elastic, tender and fragrant.

Variants

There are different variants, but the original one is called Pizza Margherita, and it follows the essential rules for the ingredients, tomato, sliced mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil, sometimes with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese on top. Other variants are: pizza marinara, which is made with tomato, garlic, oregano and extra virgin olive oil and pizza Margherita DOP made with tomato, buffalo mozzarella from Campania, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The pizza napoletana is a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed product in Europe. The TSG certification attests that a particular food product objectively possesses specific characteristics which differentiate it from all others in its category, and that its raw materials, composition or method of production have been consistent for a minimum of 30 years.
In Argentina, a pizza a la napolitana is a pizza topped with mozzarella cheese and slices of fresh tomato, which may also be flavoured with garlic.

Protected Designation of Origin

Neapolitan pizza has a denomination of control status granted by the Italian Standardization Body administered by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana. A DOC designation is available to pizzerias that meet strict requirements in following Neopolitan traditions in the art of pizza making.